Chinook

Created in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Chinook made his name on Admiral Byrd’s first Antarctic expedition in 1928. These days he’s a multipurpose dog who’s happy hiking, competing in agility and other dog sports, pulling a sled or other conveyance, and playing with the kids.

Overview It all started with a cross between a farm dog and a…

Maltipoo

The Maltipoo is a popular cross of the Maltese and Poodle, known for his fun-loving and affectionate nature. Active and charming, he can fit into all kinds of homes and families: apartment or house, family with kids or elderly single.

Overview

Maltipoos are a popular cross of the Maltese and Toy or Miniature Poodle. True to their parent breeds, Maltipoos are…

How dogs perceive time and how they’re affected by our absence

Let’s start with the general consensus on how a dog perceives time. An article from Jane McGrath on the Discovery Communications’ site, HowStuffWorks.com points to research on animals, such as rodents, birds and primates, which shows “animals are ‘stuck in time’ because they can’t mentally ‘time travel’ backward and forward.” In other words, they can’t think…

Newfoundland

Overview

Surely you remember Nana, the fictional Newfoundland employed as a nanny by the Darling family in Peter Pan? Sweet-natured Nana was first introduced to the public by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie in his 1904 play, Peter Pan, which later became the well-loved kids’ story we know today.

It’s true that Barrie’s fictional account of Nana as a…

Problems common to purebred dogs

Nothing is cuter in this world than a puppy, especially one from impeccable lineage. But as many a princess has learned throughout history, keeping it in the family does not always end happily.

Purebred dogs frequently suffer from the effects of inbreeding; and while purebred dogs and puppies are much-coveted for their beauty, there are many problems that come…

Becoming your puppy’s leader

For the past 25 or so years there has been a lot of talk in the dog world about being your dog’s leader. Some feel this aptly describes the role we should take with our dogs and others feel it is a word too closely associated with a sort of military approach to the canine/human relationship and implies a…

Bringing home a new pup? Take a test drive.

Once you have your general list started on paper, plan to visit local dog training schools to make a more specific assessment of types of dogs that you might consider most suitable for your family. This is a great place to meet loads of puppies and adult dogs, and to learn a bit more about training and socialization  prior…

House-Training Your Puppy

Your dog must be house-trained, and this job should begin as soon as you bring him home. Diligence during the first two or three weeks will surely pay off. Housetraining your Collie should be a relatively easy job, since the breed is so smart and trainable.

Every time your puppy wakes up from a nap, he should be…

When Your New Puppy Needs to Go

There are particular times when a puppy will have to relieve himself. Being aware of these times will help avoid accidents and improve the chances for expedient house-training.

Always take your pup out at the following times:

1. After sleeping/napping. Pups automatically control their bladders while sleeping. Upon waking, they need the opportunity to relieve themselves. The…

Housetraining a Puppy From Day One

Housetraining a puppy doesn’t have to be a headache.

The more vigilant the family is about reducing the puppy’s opportunity to have accidents and rewarding successes, the quicker and easier the puppy is trained, says Julie Jackson, canine behavior coordinator for the Dane County Humane Society in Wisconsin.

Begin training the first day you take your…

Positive Housetraining for Your Puppy

Step 1: Get the Right Stuff Positive housetraining goes much faster when you have the right equipment. That stuff includes, first and foremost, a crate. This enclosure will be your puppy’s private space. Whenever you can’t give him your undivided attention, your puppy should be in his crate.

You also need a flat buckle collar and a 6-foot…