Games With Your Dog!

Game of the week:

I've decided to make Thursdays, Game Day! This week is Hide & Seek. This is a great game to play with your dog, and even better if you have kids! This game is an excellent way to build on your dog's stay command and also work on their recall (come command)! If your dog doesn't know how to stay, then you can simply have somebody hold your dog. Play this inside the house or outside in a fenced in area.

To start, show your dog something fun such as their favorite toy or a favorite treat. Get them excited about it. Now tell them to stay or have somebody hold them and go hide! If this is the first time playing this game with the dog, make finding you easy the first few times. Gradually make it harder over time. Call your dog. Stay quite for a bit, if your dog is having trouble you can call them again or make a sound. When they find you, praise them like they just did the best thing in the world, play with their toy or give them their treat! Now repeat! Great exercise and training practice!

Book of the Day: Raising A Champion : A Beginner's Guide to Showing Dogs

If your into showing dogs, or thinking about getting your first show dog, this book is a great read! It covers a lot of ground, here's a list of contents;

• Introduction
  
• Understanding Your Goal
  
• Getting Started
  
• The Perfectly Stacked Dog
  
• Stacking a Dog
  
• Teaching a Puppy to Stack
  
• The Moving Dog
  
• Teaching a Puppy to Gait
  
• More About Gaiting
  
• The Exam
  
• Teaching a Puppy to be Examined
  
• Putting it All Together
  
• Adding Some Polish
  
• Matches
  
• Picking Your First Show
  
• Premium Lists
  
• Entering a Dog Show
  
• Entry Confirmations and Judging Schedules
  
• Before the Show: Time lines and Planning
  
• Before You Enter the Ring
  
• Showtime!
  
• Counting Championship Points
  
• Minoring Out and Finding Majors
  
• Keeping Dog Show Records
  
• A Well-Balanced Dog
  

Like I said, it covers a lot. It is a fun and easy read, yet very informative. If your into showing, check into it!

Question of the Day: How to find a breed of dog, best suited for our lifestyle?

Answer: Finding the right breed of dog for you takes a lot of research. You should first think about what type of lifestyle you live. Are you active? Do you go jogging & Biking a lot? Perhaps you love to hike. Or would you rather just relax at home? You also need to look at where you live. If you live in a small home with no yard, a smaller dog will probably suit you better. If you live in a small home with no yard, but your active 'Everyday' by jogging, biking, hiking and can provide daily exercise in these ways to the dog, then perhaps a medium or large dog would be okay for you. If you'd rather relax on the couch, then a medium or large, hyperactive dog probably wouldn't be the best choice. A good website to check into would be the American Kennel Club. They list all of the recognizable breeds that are registrable. Keep in mind they do not list any of the 'designer' breeds that are popping up now a days. When looking at breeds, take note on how much grooming & exercise they will need. How big will they get, and is the breed known to get along well with other dogs and/or kids? Write down any breeds that interest you, then research them further. Look up info online, research good, reputable breeders and ask them any questions you might have. Dog shows are another great way to get to know the breeds! You'll meet many knowledgeable people here and can learn a lot. Do your research! Good luck on finding the breed best for you!