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Puppy Toys for Learning

It's no secret that puppies love to play! They seem to have boundless energy and are on the constant lookout for something fun to play with. Toys are a great way to help you play with your puppy, or to distract them while you take a little break.

Here are a few types of puppy toys for learning to consider buying for your puppy to distract, train, and just have fun:

Stuffed Toys

You'll find many stuffed toys that are shaped in all sorts of amusing critters and objects. These are great play toys especially for puppy because they are soft and give puppy something to sink those tiny little baby teeth into while offering a cuddly factor. Be aware of broken seams and stuffing coming out. Do not give them children''s stuffed toys, especially ones with plastic eyes. Sooner or later a child's toy will be claimed by a puppy but be careful. Hunting dogs especially will rip regular stuffed animals apart and they especially like the eyes, which can be dangerou…

Grooming

Just like humans, dogs need grooming too. We all know the popular phrase, “man’s best friend” refers to our furry friends, also known as dogs! Dogs can be a wonderful companion and take care of us in ways that we often don’t realize. Since we receive unconditional love and loyalty from our dogs, it is only right that we show that same love and loyalty in return and take care of them the best way we can. How can you show your dog that you love him/her? Groom your dog, so that they are happy and comfortable all year long.

You can groom your dog yourself or treat your dog to a spa like trip and take him to a groomer. Dogs, like people are unique. Therefore, you must keep in mind that not all dogs are going to respond or feel the same way about being groomed. If you attempt to groom your dog yourself, and your dog is being aggressive toward the brush, or even if your dog is showing signs of timidness and being scared. You should then opt to take your dog t…

Puppie Messes

There’s nothing like the first day home with your adorable pup with all the snuggles and cuteness overload. While they do spend most of their day sleeping, the other half of the day is making all kinds of messes! When adopting a puppy, it is important to take that into consideration and even better, how to prevent those messes.

Close Bathroom Doors

Puppies are enamored with trash cans and toilets, and both happen to be readily available in your bathroom. A bathroom is a place full of new smells and particularly their human’s smells so of course, it’s a place a puppy wants to visit constantly. If the door is left open, you can almost guarantee your bathroom will be covered in ripped-up tissue and anything else that was in the trash. The appeal of the toilet bowl is something else. It’s like an oversized drinking bowl for puppies and even some adult dogs.

Tampons in particular can be deadly to dogs. They do no…

Getting A Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier, more commonly known as the Yorkie, is one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States today. Their small size makes them perfect for apartments or smaller homes and their general temperament makes them ideal for people who don’t have a lot of time to devote to walking or training their dog on a daily basis. However, there are some things you should know before buying your own Yorkshire Terrier that you may not be aware of if you aren’t experienced with the breed. Here are some things to consider first before making the decision to buy your own Yorkie.

Commitment

Because these dogs can live up to 18 years, you need to consider how much time and attention you’re willing or able to give one. Yorkies are definitely not for everyone—and that includes families with children or people who work long hours. Their big personalities and super-high energy levels mean they require lots of interaction—both physical (daily walks) and mental (tra…

Becoming a Dog Handler

Dog shows have a rich and fascinating history in the United States dating as far back as 1877. In the formative years of competitive dog breeding, becoming a dog handler was a rather straight-forward endeavor. Prior to the late 1920s, the majority of show handlers had come from long-time (sometimes life-long) careers as groomers or assistants at large, commercial kennels specializing in one or two breeds. The practice of breeding dogs began to transition away from large-scale breeding operations and toward hobby breeding later in the 20th century. The path to becoming a show handler became less rigidly defined.

Consider an Apprenticeship

There are no formal training or licensing requirements for showing dogs. Doing it successfully still requires an intensive, working knowledge of the care, grooming, breed standards, health and temperament of a particular breed. Information on these topics is more easily accessible than ever thanks to the internet. But tr…

Terrier Group

Terrier dogs were originally bred by farmers to hunt and kill common farm pests such as moles, gophers, and badgers. All of the breeds that compose the American Kennel Club's hail from the United Kingdom or one of their colonies. Typically, terriers are known for being small but strong, active, and fierce. The American Kennel Club's Terrier Group contains 31 breeds. There are relatively the small breeds like the Norfolk, Cairn or West Highland White Terrier, to the much larger Airedale Terrier.

All Personality

Terriers have a very distinct personality. While they are very energetic and have very little patience. They do not like to interact with other animals, including fellow dogs. While some terriers are still kept as working dogs, many are pets. They also excellent guard dogs because of these behaviors. Because terriers typically have a wiry coat, they do require a fair amount of regular grooming. This is need to keep their characteristic terrier appearanc…

Hound Group

The AKC Hound Group is generally classified as dog breeds who have an ancestral heritage of hunting. The diversity of breeds in this group make them truly unique and a gem to find. These hunting dogs include the Whippet, the Bloodhound and the Dachshund.

Endurance

The main trait of a hound is that they have an immense about of endurance. Other characteristics of this group include a wide variety of personalities and sizes, but most tend to be friendly, alert, and great family dogs. They also tend to be very boisterous and insistent. A select few hounds share the ability to make a sound known as baying. This sound is characterized by a long, deep howl and is used especially when hounds are on the scent during a hunt.

Herding Group

The 30 breeds in the AKC Herding Group are defined by dogs that have the capacity to help owners with the movement of livestock. These dogs were formerly members of the working group, but became their own classification in 1983. Their characteristics include: high stamina, athletic, extremely obedient, devoted, and very loving. While most of these animals in this classification will never see a pasture, they still are hard-wired to herd. They are often found herding the family’s children or other animals in its home.

Herding Group Dogs Come in All Sizes

Breeds in the herding group include the Border Collie, the Australian Shepherd or the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. There is a diverse size difference throughout all the breeds in this classification. While the Border Collie is an average sized dog, the Welsh Corgi is petite and can easily get under livestock to herd effectively.

An unexpected breed in this group is the German Shepherd. Many believe Ge…

Sporting Group

The dogs in the American Kennel Club's Sporting group include some of the most popular breeds such as setters, retrievers, spaniels, and pointers. Historically, dogs in the Sporting group were used by hunters to find and retrieve a variety of fish and game. While these breeds are still used for hunting today, their personalities have made them known for being great family dogs and great service dogs as well.

Activity Aplenty

The breeds in the Sporting Group are known for being active and intelligent. According to the American Kennel Club, Sporting dogs are the easiest to train. Because these breeds are very active, they must be given plenty of attention or exercise. Given that their original purpose was for hunting, Sporting breeds have a hereditary love for nature and the outdoors. These breeds also need companionship and lots of positive reinforcement in order to be the happiest they can be. If this breed does not have enough activity and attention, they can …

Working Group

Classified as working group dog, they are bred to work. Working dogs can perform a variety of tasks. Proper training helps to enable them to do tasks specific to their capabilities. There are many breeds that are bred solely for working purposes. These dogs can be dutiful working companion that possess a high level of stamina. Their genetics makes them ideal for working, as many of the working group dogs come from strong breeds.

Working dogs are generally very active by nature. They are also very attentive and alert to their surroundings, which makes them ideal for guarding and protecting. Tasks that a working dog will execute well are search and rescue, service and hunting, just to name a few. Each breed of working dog displays their own unique personalities. In many of the breeds you can find that they are smart, loyal, calm and overall, good-natured.

Great Companions

Dogs you’ll consistently find as working dogs include Bernese Mountain Dog, Black …