Overall Dog Info

We started Smokey, our Schnauzer, at a very young age getting used to the car. Of course, when the dogs are young, it takes a lot of perseverance to instill proper car etiquette, which means they are not to be bouncing off the inside of the doors and the roof or using the passengers as springboards from the front to the back or vice-versa, or chewing on the seats, the seat belts or licking all over the windows, all of which is a definite no-no for us.

Our dog was fairly good in the car, even as a youngster. But, there were a couple of things that our dog did that were very difficult to change. One, was that he wanted to be standing on our lap looking out the front window with his head as close to the window as he could get. He wanted to see everything before we saw it. I wonder, is that possible that he saw it before we did because his eyes were in front of ours? I really wonder about that, does anybody have a clue? I’d really like to know.

In time, we got him to sit on the console between the front seats and of course now its his seat and nobody else better use it for any thing else, like my purse or he pouts. The other issue we had in the car was that he wanted to be right next to you all the time. He had to be physically touching one or the other of us. Now, the touching wasn’t so bad but he was always standing on the console, which made it very difficult to see around him. This is, obviously, a very dangerous situation to have because he was always in the way and blocking our line of sight. Now, not only was he in the way, but he would press and lean on you with what felt like his full weight.

But, one of the greatest commands that he learned from being in the car was the command of “back”. Let me explain, when he was up in the front seats & in our way we would tell him “back” and at the same time we pointed him towards the back seat and gently nudged him in that direction. We did this every time he was misbehaving and not sitting and he began to understand that when he did behave and would sit down, then and only then was he allowed between the seats on the console.

It wasn’t long before he understood what was expected of him while in the car, but that isn’t saying that he always responded. He would push his preference on us, which was to be standing and leaning on us while on the console. It was several months before the battle was over, though, but, guess who won? Needless to say, it wasn’t the dog.

Now he responds to the verbal command of “back” and jumps in the back seat. To me, the “back” command, has been the best command after “stay” or “sit”. I have found it to be a very beneficial command in a variety of situations and I believe, I use it as much as “stay” or “sit”.

He now goes with us almost everywhere and we can go through a drive-thru restaurant and eat in the car and he sits in the back seat until we are done eating. He knows that when the car starts he can get on the console again. The dog is so good in the car that I take him everywhere with me rather than leaving him at home all alone.

Good car etiquette is essential for him (and for me) because he gets “cabin-fever” being inside during the winter months, so I take him for a ride in the car. I generally, try to take him someplace where he hasn’t been before. That way he is actively looking at and assimilating what he is seeing, so even if he doesn’t get the physical exercise at least it stimulates him mentally.

Are you thinking, “I take good care of my pets”. They have food, water, warm bed and a loving family that they belong to that should be sufficient, shouldn’t it? And the answer is “yes”, that would be as long as they don’t get sick or have an accident.

In America we are overwhelmed with the numerous insurance policies we need to protect the different aspects of our daily life. We probably have several policies, let’s see, there’s the homeowner’s policy, health insurance, eye and dental insurance, auto insurance, boat or motorcycle insurance, life insurance, etc. but the point being there is one area that most of us don’t think about. That is for the welfare of our pets, our financial responsibility for their care and how the cost would affect us financially.

Pet insurance is a subject worth at least investigating.  I would that say that for many of us we consider our pets part of our families, a very valuable part of the family nucleus and we would be lost without them.

And this brings me to the question, “How would I pay for a medical treatment if my pet were injured?”  If the charges were very much I wouldn’t be able to afford the cost.  Let’s say for example: your very healthy dog is hit by a car, the only injury sustained by the dog was a severely broken leg. The leg could be repaired by surgery with an excellent prognosis of the dog returning to normal. But the fee for this is $2,000.00 and you don’t have that kind of money.

So, what other alternatives are there? You can’t afford surgery, they say they can cast the leg, but the prognosis of healing properly is poor and that your pet will probably have a sever limp and be in pain.  Do you do that or or put the animal down? I know this would devastate me if I had no other option but to end the animals life because I couldn’t afford the surgery. Having pet insurance would have at least given me the option of taking into consideration: The age of the dog, the severity of the disease and/or injury, the probability of the pet’s recovery, the lingering affects of a disability or pain before having to decide to put the pet down due solely to the lack of  funds.

Bottom line, can you afford to give your pet the proper medical care if an emergency should occur?   Pet insurance is something that we should at least give at little thought to and investigate enough to know what coverages are available and the cost of each.  There are many companies providing pet insurance with premiums and deductibles to fit almost every budget.

Your pets will appreciate it and you may gain many additional years of companionship together.

Often the most successful dogs at agility competitions are those within herding breeds.  Dogs like Australian Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs, Australian Cattle Dogs, and Border Collies tend to dominate Frisbee, agility, and obstacle course competitions.  These dogs are not only renowned for their quick feet, but their intelligence.  These above four listed dog breeds have been proven to be some of the most intelligent breeds in the canine world.  Dog agility training tends to begin once the dog is about 1-2 years old, though it can start earlier.  Simple practices like running through tubes, jumping over hurdles, and running with the owner are early lessons, while a more advanced lesson would be using a seesaw.

Dog agility training is a great activity for owners of all ages, and anyone with patience and dedication can do it.  Dogs also love the attention, the exercise, and spending time with their owners.

When it comes to teaching your dog new tricks, patience is the most essential part.  Some dogs will pick up on new tricks very fast, and for others, it will take time.  To be successful you need to be patient and also be consistent.  Dogs will begin to understand tricks through repetition of the activity and a reward when they do it correctly.  As the old adage states: “carrots are better than sticks”, so be sure to reward your dog for good behavior but don’t punish them for doing it wrong, just withhold the reward.

Given enough patience on the part of an owner, a dog can learn most any trick, it just takes time.  If you do need some help, there are lots of guides and websites online that offer helpful tips about dog training and dog tricks.