Springer Spaniel - The Best Choice For a Pet?

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There are many reasons to get a dog and there are many types of dog to choose from. Here we will take a look at some of the up-sides to dog ownership as well as the downsides, particularly with regard to choosing and training Springer Spaniels.

Most people know the therapeutic value of stroking a dog. It calms the old and infirm and gives a general feeling of well-being even if the dog is not their own. Calm dogs, often Labradors, are brought into homes for the elderly or ill, and the inhabitants feel better for being able to stroke these gentle creatures. Blood pressure goes down and stress diminishes. This is a medicine with positive side effects. It does have a drug like quality as the patient looks forward to the next visit of their four legged friend with the soft, understanding eyes and wagging tail.

Consequently, your family dog can do the same for you. No breed more so than a Springer. They are not usually used for visiting the old or infirm but they are probably more intuitive than most dogs. Happy to run around all day and excited by anything going on in the family, they are also ready to listen to any problem you have. When nobody else will listen, the Springer will sit and listen, head cocked to one side, trying so hard to understand. He does not disagree or answer back to the irrational questions or statements. The perfect friend and companion.

However, the perfect friend and companion can sometimes have his drawbacks. Rain, snow or sleet does not qualify as an excuse for the Springer to miss his walk, after all, he loves water. He has more than his fair share of energy for a dog of his size and if he is not able to expend it, he will think of something else to do. Springers, like all dogs will find something to chew, and it will probably not be the dog chew you bought him. A more likely target to the Springer is one of the new leather shoes you have just bought.

One of the reasons to have a Springer as a family pet is the way he loves to be with all the family. Conversely, when separated from his family, 'pack', he will become stressed and anxious. It may help to have another dog as a companion for him, however this may just result in you having to clean up two 'separation anxieties' instead of one when you get home. He will see being left alone as a form of punishment, as in any animal pack, where a disgraced member will be excluded.

There are two types of Springer. One type has been breed as a working dog, the other as a show dog. One difference between the two, is that in very rare occasions the show dog may have rage disorder. A dog with this problem will be happy and friendly one moment and then without any provocation or reason may suddenly attack blindly. This is not to be confused with a dog who gets so excited that he won't listen to commands, this can be fixed by a good training course. Rage disorder has not been identified in the working strain of Springers.

All in all, Springers make a great family pet. He will try to understand what you want from him, in return you must understand his needs.

It is important to make sure that you and your dog not only get off to a good start together but also maintain a good ongoing relationship. To accomplish this you need to learn how a dog thinks and apply some simple training techniques and re-inforce them consistently.

To help you there is a lot of information to get started training springer spaniels as well as all other breeds at our website, Poochdogs. We also have a free dog training ebook guide which you can download completely free of charge right now to get you started and have many other free resources for you which we include in our regular free newsletters. Register now and get your FREE guide at http://poochdogs.com/blog

Modern Warfare 2 Addiction MW2 In real life Part 1 2

For more videos visit Modern Warfare 2 Addiction MW2 In real life Part 1 Modern Warfare 2 is a first person tactical shooter and the sixth entry in the popular Call of Duty series. True to its name and following the lead of its predecessor Call of Duty: Modern Warfare it places players in modern combat settings as opposed to the WWII environments of the earlier Call of Duty games. This modern approach brings with it new weapons action and options. Coupled with a variety of gameplay modes including single player multiplayer and the co op Special Ops Mode it is destined to be one of the most popular games of 2009 and a worthy addition to the Call of Duty series. ash wednesday mullah abdul ghani baradar nick dewar bloom energy press conference reshma shetty who won for the love of ray j 2 Tom Watson Finds Tiger Woods' Swearing as Distasteful as his Infidelity punxsutawney phil groundhog day westminster dog show 2010 capt phil harris death centralia pa coal fire sachin 200 when does the super bowl start free games to play previews bowling games state games pc game game emulator game walkthough game tips game crack on line love games online game game for

Uno: Best In Show

One of Uno's co-owners calls Advance home. And so has Uno for the past two years. c visited Uno's home base today and has more on Uno and his family tree.

Luke at the Dog Show

Luke made his debut dog show appearance in August 2009 at the Westminster Fair.

Walking the dog

Butch walking the dog "Dog Show" style.

Dog Kennel Clubs 101

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There are two major kennel clubs in the U.S. They are the American
Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Kennel Club (UKC).

The AKC is the oldest, largest,best-known (thanks to the Westminster
Dog Show) and most rigid.

The UKC is second oldest, second largest and generally considered
more accessible to ordinary dog owners.

Both register dogs and both have standards of conduct for breeders.

Generally, however, the AKC is more concerned with breeding dogs that
meet the physical demands of a breed standard.

Sometimes that, in my opinion, has led to unfortunate side effects such
as miniaturizing dogs to the point they developed slipped kneecaps
and collapsed wind pipes.

The UKC, on the other hand, stresses the whole dog - both looks and
temperament. It is well known for its performance events: Coonhound field
trials, water races, agility trials and hunting tests for the retriever
breeds.

Your own interests would determine which kennel club would appeal to
you although you register in both.

There are other kennel clubs and other "purebred" registries. Be aware
that some of these exist only because the breeders can't meet the standards
of the AKC or the UKC.

For example, one of the largest alternative kennel clubs was started by a
group of Missouri dog breeders who were booted out of the AKC because
they violated safety
and health standards.

When they could no longer advertise their puppies as being AKC-registered,
they created a registry of their own.

Another registry was started to handle a franchised chain of pet shops.

It's easy to tell a true registry from a quick-buck operation. The real
kennel clubs require a pedigree and often DNA or genetic testing.

The quick-buck ones require you to send a check. Many do not require your dog
to be a purebred and one of them even registers wolf/dog crossbreeds.

Many reputable breeders are registered with their breed club as well as
the AKC or UKC.

Many breed clubs have a stricter code of ethics than either the AKC or UKC.
It's reassuring to only deal with a breeder who dual-registers or only
registers with the breed club named in the AKC's list of breed clubs.

I don't know why you would ever want to be registered with any kennel club
other than UKC or AKC.

Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and creator of the popular website on small dogs, http://www.ToyBreeds.com

The 500 Lb Gorilla in the Room - Is He Handling Your Pet at the Airport?

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Some of you might recall a television commercial that aired some 30 years ago: A tourist placed his suitcase on an airline's conveyor belt and watched it disappear behind fringed flaps. What he never saw was the 500 lb. gorilla behind the flaps who threw the suitcase around like a handball. As the suitcase ricocheted off the walls (much of it disintegrating on impact), the ad's message was clear: To survive baggage handling, you'd better own our high quality luggage.

I was returning from our National Specialty last fall and was at the airport as I watched my dog's crate move along a similar conveyor belt. It had just cleared the fringed flaps when the crate started tipping backwards, then flipped entirely onto its roof. That's when the commercial popped into my head. Odd, the stuff you think of when your heart nearly stops.

In the blink of an eye, I leapt over a railing, scrambled up the still-moving conveyor belt and shimmied through the flaps to rescue my dog. I was later told that just about everyone was yelling at me, and in hindsight, I suppose I must have broken a dozen rules and regulations. But if you're reading this, you're here by invitation and that means I kind of know you. You care about your pets and under similar circumstances, you'd have done the same thing.

Despite the adrenaline, I had a moment of clarity and was struck by how scary this environment could be to a dog. It was dark and noisy - and that was before I recognized the reason for the mishap: Just beyond the flaps, the conveyor belt pitched into a steep incline which had caused the crate to flip over.

With the help of a few baggage handlers - nice guys who apologized profusely and didn't look at all like gorillas - I opened the crate door and helped get my dog onto his feet. He was all right, though rattled, and as I comforted him, I chastised myself for not having listened to my instincts that it was wrong to put a dog on a conveyor belt in the first place.

After I emerged from the "land behind the curtain," I was berated by an airline official for having broken regulations by running onto a conveyor belt and into a restricted area.

In return, I had a few choice words that went something like, "How dare her airline endanger my dog!"

I'm sorry to say what seemed get her full attention was mentioning that the dog in the crate was a "show dog" on his way home from a big show. Silly me, but every dog is valuable in my book. Like many airline officials, she was likely aware of the tragic story of "Vivi," a whippet who escaped from her crate at Kennedy International Airport after winning an Award of Merit at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in 2008. "Vivi" was never found, though sightings of her are still reported to this day and have taken on the feel of urban legend. (For more on Vivi, look here) The lawsuit resulting from Vivi's loss got everyone's attention, but in reading about the case, my impression is that the loss of a pet is still largely treated by some airlines like the loss of a suitcase. The "Vivi Crusade's" mission statement can be read on-line. My advice to anyone flying with their pet? Flyer Beware.

The "Boris Bill" (also known as the Safe Air Travel for Animals Act) went into effect in the summer of 2005 after Barbara Listenik's Basenji/Pit Bull dog, Boris, was lost. Unlike Vivi, Boris' story had a happier ending, but as a result of Ms. Listenik's lobbying of Congress, airlines must now report how many companion animals are killed, lost, or injured on their flights. When you intend to fly your dog, act like a consumer and start by knowing the policies of each airline when it comes to flying pets. Web sites are a good place to start, and I provide links to them at my blog under the same title as this article;

Here are some phone numbers:
Air Tran Airways - 800-247-8726
American Airlines - 800-433-7300
Continental Airlines - 800-525-0280
Delta Air Lines - 800-221-1212
Jet Blue Airways - 1-800-JETBLUE
Midwest Airlines - 800-452-2022
Southwest Airlines - 800-435-9792
Spirit Airlines - 800-772-7117
United Airlines - 800-241-6522
US Airways - 800-428-4322

What's really helpful is to know the track record of the airline on which you're going to fly your pet and there are online reports of pet mortality incidences along with the names of the particular airlines involved.

I was lucky in that my dog was unharmed, and I ultimately worked with an agent who was an animal lover. She pressed her business card in my hand and urged me to contact her airline with my complaint. My communications with this airline are still on-going.

In thirty years, I've attended every National Specialty except for two, and I got to most of them by flying. 9/11 changed not only how we fly, but how our dogs fly, as well. TSI agents are now required to examine the inside of a dog's crate before the dog enters it, and are also required to make sure something isn't hidden on the dog. Faced with a dog with a huge coat like the one on the dog who flipped over in his crate (pictured above getting a haircut), most agents hardly know where to start. I'm pretty sure I could hide a small companion animal, say a gerbil, in that coat. and like most Puli owners, I've got some amusing stories about traveling with a corded dog.

In addition to researching the airlines, there are a couple of things you can do to help your dog travel more safely. Because some crates have been known to pop their doors out if dropped, some savvy travelers drill a couple of small holes into the plastic of the crate right around the door and secure the door to the crate using plastic cable ties. Also, "humanize" your pet to the baggage handlers by adhering notes to the crate. If anyone tries to put your dog's crate on a conveyor belt, insist that they get a cart and wheel your dog to the appropriate area.If your dog isn't handled appropriately, become pro-active and speak up to the airlines!

S.E.Szeremy, a writer by profession and a breeder/owner/handler of Pulik since 1978, is also the creator of KnobNots and BabyKnobNots. Follow her blog at http://knobnotes.blogspot.com