How To Train Herding And Working Dog Breeds
Herding and working dogs are actually two different categories in the American Kennel Club but have only been divided into the two groups since 1983. Previously the herding group was included in the working group category since these groups have many of the same traits and attributes. Both groups have been bred to work closely with humans and to be good, solid and dependable companion dogs.
Working Breeds
In generally the working breeds tend to be large dogs that have been bred to pull carts, pull sleds, guard and even perform various rescues. Breeds in the working group include:
· Akitas
· Bernese Mountain Dogs
· Boxers
· Bullmastiffs
· Great Danes
· Doberman Pinchers
· Great Pyrenees
· Newfoundland
· Rottweiler
· St. Bernard
· Siberian Husky
There are also several other breeds including the amazing Komondor, known for its long, ringlet style coat. All of these breeds of dogs are large, usually weighing in excess of 60 pounds, with many of the larger males reaching over 150 pounds when full grown.
When working with these working dogs it is important to note that they are generally very gentle dogs although them may be aggressive or possessive around strangers. Dogs such as the Akita that has been bred to both hunt and protect will need additional socialization and training at an early age to prevent aggressive tendencies as they mature. These dogs need to be very obedient simply because they are so large and could potentially hurt someone even by simply jumping up. Usually very easy to train they require consistent and firm training with lots of positive praise and attention.
Generally these dogs will be natural watchdogs although they are not necessarily effective guard dogs. Some, such as the Doberman Pincher and the Rottweiler are excellent as both watch and guard dogs with the proper training. Professional trainers can be very effective in training and working with guard dogs.
Selecting the Right Breed of Dog
While there are no essential personality differences between the sexes of dogs, there is no doubt that some personality variations exist among the various breeds. Though rather minor, they are significant enough so that they should be inquired into in order that the particular breed can meet individual needs. This fact may be of special importance where there are children in the household. The disposition of an animal certainly must be compatible with the personality of the child. Some breeds have a tendency to be peppy, alert, excitable, or noisy, while others are generally quiet, lazy, or phlegmatic. Some are more likely to become one-man dogs, while others seem to want to encompass the whole world in their sphere.
There are, however, enough breeds to satisfy almost any requirement. Once the breed has been definitely decided upon, it is advisable to get in touch with a recognized kennel club agency. It is especially important that the breeder be highly recommended, for occasionally breeders have been guilty of dishonest practices, though these are the exception rather than the rule. In the final analysis, however, there are reliable and unreliable dealers in all fields and the discretion of the purchaser must ultimately decide the issue.
When the animal is purchased, a ten-day trial should be insisted upon, in order to have time to get veterinary certification of good health, and to ascertain whether the animal is of suitable disposition – that is, to find out whether the animal gets along with your family. The reliable breeder will agree unhesitatingly to such a reasonable request. Less reliable breeders will agree to a trial of only 24 to 48 hours. Since latent diseases often do not arise for several days, and since it usually takes more than a couple of days to decide whether an animal’s disposition is suitable, the prospective owner is advised to proceed with extreme caution when he has only a day or two to make his final decision.
A reference list of the recognized breeds of dogs follows. The various breeds were developed to adapt these animals to different activities; to learn to distinguish one breed from another; the best method is to attend dog shows. The official publications of the American Kennel Club give detailed information on the history and standards of the various breeds.
The American Kennel Club recognizes six major classes of dog breeds, as follows:
Group one: sporting dogs.
Griffon: Wirehaired-Pointing. Pointer: German Shorthaired. Retrievers: Chesapeake Bay, Curly-Coated, Flat-Coated, Golden, Labrador. Setters: English, Gordon, Irish. Spaniels: Brittany, Clumber, Cocker, English Springer, Field, Irish Water, Sussex, Welsh Springer.
Group two: sporting dogs, hounds.
Afghan, Basset, Beagle, Bloodhound, Borzoi, Dachshund, Deer-hound (Scottish), Foxhound (American), Foxhound (English), Greyhound, Harrier, Norwegian Elkhound, Otterhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Whippet, Wolfhound (Irish), Wolfhound (Russian).
Group three: working dog.
These include some of the largest breeds in the dog world. They are best suited to being used as guard dogs for police or army purposes, watchdogs, herding dogs, sled dogs, etc.
Alaskan Malamute, Belgian Sheepdog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bouvier des Flandres, Boxer, Briard, Bull-Mastiff, Collie (Rough), Collie (Smooth), Doberman Pinscher, Eskimo, German Shepherd, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Komondor, Kuvasz, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Old English Sheepdog, Puli, Rottweiler, Samoyede, Schnauzer (Giant), Shetland Sheepdog, Siberian Huskie, St. Bernard, Welsh Corgi (Cardigan), Welsh Corgi (Pembroke).
Group four: terriers.
These breeds have a sporting background. They are adapted to hunting small game, especially where a considerable amount of digging is required.
Airedale, Bedlington, Border, Bull, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, Fox (Smooth), Fox (Wirehaired), Irish, Kerry Blue, Lakeland, Lhasa, Manchester, Norwich, Schnauzer (Miniature), Schnauzer (Standard), Scottish, Sealyham, Skye, Staffordshire, Welsh, West Highland White.
Group five: toys.
These have been bred as novelty dogs and have no work or sporting function.
Affenpinscher, Chihuahua, English Toy Spaniel, Griffon (Brussels), Italian Greyhound, Japanese Spaniel, Maltese, Mexican Hairless, Papillon, Pekingese, Pinscher (Miniature), Pomeranian, Pug, Toy Manchester Terrier, Toy Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier.
Group six: nonsporting.
While some of these breeds have a sporting, guard-dog or hunting background, they are now bred mainly as pets. They include some of the most distinctive and handsome animals in the world of dogs.
Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Chow Chow, Dalmatian, French Bulldog, Keeshonden, Poodle, Schipperke.
The Pomeranian Of Today Make Good Professional Therapy Dogs
The Pomeranian is a toy-sized member of the German Spitz family of dogs. Some of the Pomeranian’s relatives include the Samoyed, Keeshond, Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Norwegian Elkhound, Finnish Spitz, Chow Chow and American Eskimo.
The Pomeranian had ancestors who were used by the Nordic people as sled pulling dogs and to herd reindeer. Of course, these ancestors were much larger than our present day Pomeranian.
Today’s Pomeranian is well suited to city and suburban households. They are alert and highly intelligent, very active little dogs, which are easily trained. Many Pomeranians successfully compete in obedience, agility, tracking and flyball.
You won’t see a 3 to 7 pound Pomeranian pulling a sled in Iceland or herding reindeer. That would certainly be a spectacular event, but it is very doubtful the little Pomeranians of today are hired to do such jobs as these. The Pomeranians we know today have indoor jobs as therapy dogs. They make excellent therapy dogs while visiting the sick and elderly in hospitals and nursing homes. It is my personal opinion that the ministers need to take along a little Pom while making their rounds visiting the sick and elderly in hospitals and nursing homes.
The Pomeranian is a compact, short-backed toy dog with a soft, dense undercoat and a profuse harsh-textured outer coat. He has a heavily plumed tail set high that lies flat on his back. The Pomeranian looks kind of “cocky,” commanding, and animated as he moves around.
The average size of the Pomeranian is from 3 to 7 pounds. The American Pomeranian Club does not like the Pomeranian to be referred to as “teacup” or “toy.” The ideal weight for a show specimen is 4 to 6 pounds, although the American Pomeranian Club says poorly bred Pomeranians will many times be overweight, and any dog over the limits is highly objectionable. The Pomeranian is medium-boned and when examined feels sturdy. He has an interesting looking plumed tail, which is one of the characteristics of his breed. The Pomeranian’s eyes are also of interest as almond-shaped, dark, bright, and medium in size.
The little Pomeranian has a vivacious spirit about him making him a great competitive dog. He is an extrovert in personality.
The Pomeranian was most likely bred down in the present day Germany and Poland. When the Pomeranian was first noticed in Britain in the middle of the 19th century, some specimens were said to weigh as much as 30 pounds and resembled the German Wolf Spitz in size, coat and color. These 30 pound dogs were most likely the sled dogs.
A Pomeranian named “Marco” was sent from Florence, Italy to the Queen Victoria of England. Marco became Queen Victoria’s beloved pet. Because of the Queen was a popular monarch, the breed’s popularity grew. Queen Victoria is known for advocating the trend toward the smaller Pomeranians.
The small size Pomeranian with its docile temperament and vivacious spirit helps to make this little dog an ideal and entertaining companion.
The colors and patterns of the Pomeranian are many. Among the colors are black and tan – tan or rust sharply defined, appearing above each eye and on muzzle, throat, and fore chest, on all legs and feet and below the tail. The richer the tan is more desirable. Brindle – the base color is gold, red, or orange-brindled with strong lack cross stripes. Parti-color is white with any other color distributed in patches with a white blaze preferred on the head. The Open Classes at specialty shows may be divided by color as follows: Open Red, Orange, Cream, and Sable; Open Black, Brown, and Blue; Open Any Other Color, Pattern, or Variation.
The larger size Pomeranian that once pulled sleds in Iceland surely worked hard for its masters. Today, our little 6 pound Pomeranians are happily performing more professional positions such as therapy dogs for sick and the elderly. He is an ideal companion for the adult, and not so highly recommend for children.
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The Most Important Marketing Principle
Several times people have asked me what the most important marketing principle was. What is the one thing you absolutely have to know in order to attract more clients?
Is it your marketing message or powerful marketing materials? Is it the ability to persuasively speak about your services? Perhaps it’s a killer marketing tactic that I keep under wraps. Or is it more a matter of persistence and commitment?
Well, all of those are very important. But there is one marketing idea that is the most important of all.
It might be exemplified best in this story I heard years ago.
Two friends were talking about another friend who was a great fisherman. They related stories about how he always caught more fish than everyone else, yet he didn’t really do anything different than other fishermen did.
He used a similar boat, the same fishing rods and lures. He fished in the same places and at the same times of day. So why in the heck did he always catch more fish? What was his secret?
Well, his secret was pretty simple: He loved fishing.
If you love what you do, you’ll always be better at it. You’ll find subtle ways to do things that others wouldn’t even think of. You’ll read more about it. You’ll put your heart and soul into it.
So when it comes to marketing your services, I promise that you’ll get better results if you love marketing yourself. But how do you do that? What if you don’t like marketing at all?
Let me tell you another story.
I once worked with a writer who needed to market herself. But the first time we met, she told me she hated networking and wouldn’t call people she didn’t know.
So I asked her what she did love.
She told me that she loved her Siberian Husky, Mutombo. She was nuts about that dog and talked my ear off for about half an hour. Then she said, rather sheepishly, “I’ve been thinking of sending out mailings to prospects with pictures of Mutombo on them. What do you think?”
Well, on the surface, it didn’t seem like a great idea. But what was clear was the love she had for that dog and the enthusiasm she had for the idea. So I said, “Why not?”
She worked with her husband, who was a photographer, to create a series of very innovative mailing pieces that featured Mutombo. She then tied the pictures into themes about corporate writing.
Yes, it sounds like a stretch, but the mailings were an amazing success. They were fun, attention-getting and different. People started calling her. And she generated some very big clients with this wacky idea of putting her dog on her mailings.
She was doing what she loved. She found a marketing approach that she could really get into. And it was a huge success.
So what do you love? What would you enjoy doing? What could you put your heart and soul into?
In my Fast Track Marketing Model, I point out that there are essentially three effective marketing strategies or vehicles for Independent Professionals: Networking, Publishing and Speaking. But there are infinite variations on these three. My client used a form of publishing through direct mail.
When I started my business, I started with networking. But my style is to be an initiator, not just a participant. So I started my own networking groups. I met a lot of people and I loved bringing people together. So this was very successful.
Only a month or two after buying my first Macintosh, I created a monthly newsletter. I also happened to love design and project-oriented things. So I had a lot of fun with this, and also had very good results. The newsletter also pulled people into the networking events.
Finally, at these events, I had the opportunity to make presentations and discovered that I loved to be in the front of a group. (I think I’m a frustrated stand-up comedian at heart.) It turned out that speaking was the most effective marketing tactic of all for me.
I was lucky. I found three areas of marketing that I loved. But the key was that I found my particular way of doing these marketing activities that fit with my style and personality. Over the years I’ve adapted these tactics to the online world through this eZine and introductory teleclasses.
And you can do this as well.
Don’t worry about three strategies to start. Find one. And don’t fall for some hyped-up marketing strategy that you read about on the Internet that promises to make you kazillions of dollars. Trust me. It won’t. (Unless you love it.)
Find some aspect of networking, publishing or speaking that you can make your own, where you can express your authentic self, that you can have fun at, and you’ll get better results than you could possibly imagine.
Dog Beds: Choosing the Right One for your Dog
Selecting the right dog bed is important because it is where your dog calls home. Your favorite pet will spend a great deal of time sleeping, relaxing and resting in his dog bed so finding one that suits him well will help to make him more comfortable in his new home.
Some owners already have an idea of what they are looking for in a dog bed, but other owners are unsure of even where to begin looking for one. While it may seem as easy as just going to a local store and selecting a bed, there are actually a large variety to consider, and with this comes a variety of different factors to take into consideration before purchasing a bed.
Pet Size
There are a large variety of dog breeds from very small to extra large and with this comes a wide variety of different dog bed sizes available. One of the most important factors to consider when selecting one is the size of your dog. Although you might simply think a small dog will need a small bed and a large dog will need a larger one, it isn’t always this simple. Remember that if you are looking at the same bed in two different sizes, it is quite possible that the larger bed will cost a substantial amount more than the smaller bed, simply because it costs more for the extra materials.
Often small dogs like to feel snuggly and warm while large dogs will most likely want to stretch out. With this in mind small dogs often feel most comfortable in a bed with bumpers that they can snuggle up against at night. On the other hand, large dogs would be extremely uncomfortable in a bed with borders and will instead be most comfortable on a flat feather pillow bed.
Pet Health
Orthopedic dog beds are available that add extra support for older pets or pets with joint injuries, such as hip problems, disc problems, knee problems or are just old and have trouble getting around. Most orthopedic beds are made from similar materials as human orthopedic beds, with high-density foam that allows for extra support on the joints and makes it much easier to go from sitting to standing.
Remember that because you will be paying for extra padding and extra support, the cost of an orthopedic bed is likely to be substantially more expensive than a regular dog bed. As well, you may have to special order an orthopedic bed from the pet store or through your local vet.
Choice of Fabric
Believe it or not, dog beds are available in canvas, denim, fleece, cotton, suede and even upholstery material. Your choice of fabric will be dependent on the type of dog you own and the climate you live in. For dog owners with a long-haired dog or an outdoor dog like a Siberian Husky, you will want to select a cool cotton or canvas, so they won’t overheat while staying inside the house.
For owners of small or short haired dogs that might get cold more easily, you should look towards a warmer material that will help keep them warm year round. A great choice for these dogs would be a fleece, suede or even couch like upholstery material.
You may also want to consider a bed cover that is machine washable, especially if you have a dog that sheds a great deal or that gets dirty easily. You may also want to consider a fabric that can be washed easily without fading or shrinking.
Location of the Bed
Where you plan on placing the dog bed in your home is probably the most important factor when selecting one. Consider whether the dog likes to sleep in the owner’s bedroom, in a spare bedroom, in a crate in the kitchen or in the living room. Remember to select a location that is large enough for the dog’s bed, but that will also make them feel safe at night.
Although it may seem silly, you will also want to consider the location of a bed so that you can purchase one that matches your interior decorating. Purchasing a red dog bed and putting it in a green and black room might be a bit of an eyesore. Find something that blends in well, if at all possible.
Keep in mind that if you will have a dog that will be crated at nighttime, there are specific crate beds, which are long and can easily be placed in the crate to provide your dog with comfort while they sleep at night.
Price
One price does not fit all when it comes to beds for dogs. Similar to human beds, there are a variety of different brands and costs. Believe it or not, there are even designer and luxury dog beds available! These will offer extra cushioning, extra support and extra room. Many of them actually resemble a couch while others look similar to a human bed. Some designer dog beds that are specially ordered will even be personalized with the dog’s name.
Because of the wide range in dog beds, there is a large fluctuation in as well. Owners can select a basic one for around $20-$30 for a small dog and $50-$60 for a large dog, all the way up to designer or luxury dog beds that can run as high as $150-$250.
When author Richard Livitski isn’t busy catching up on his own sleep, he’s busy searching for more unique, cool and funny dog names for http://www.dog-names-and-more.com where dog names as well as other helpful dog related topics can be found.