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I want to thank everyone who participated in the, “Cutest Puppy Photo Contest”.

The photos, that were submitted to the contest, where adorable and everyone had a great time voting for the puppy of their choice.  Each puppy, in the contest, won a special place in the hearts of our readers – I am so proud to have been able to share them with the world.

Each of the photos, along with additional photos of the 1st 2nd and 3rd place winners, will be published in a beautiful 2010 wall calendar.

These great looking calendars will not only bring you 12 full months of beautiful photos, but are also functional with plenty of room to write in your daily schedule and the family’s appointments.

This is also a feel good calendar!

The proceeds from your purchase will be used to support the North County Animal Shelter. You can feel good knowing that your purchase is helping feed and house a pet that doesn’t have a family of their own.

Send one of these wonderful calendars as a gift and we’ll include a gift card and donation receipt in your name.Inventory is limited, so order today and avoid disappointment.

The price of our 2010 Cutest Puppy Photo Contest is $20.00 Please click on the, “Add To Cart” tab below to order your copy today.

A Festival for Dogs & People!

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: $5 general admission
Benefiting: Canine Companions for Independence
WOOFSTOCK: A Festival for Dogs & People will be a groovy time for the family and Fido on Saturday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Balboa Park at the corner of Park Boulevard and Presidents Way. Festival features flyball, disc dogs, a K9 playground, contests, great shopping, delicious food and more! Easy Walk n’ Roll Fun Dog Walk precedes the festival. All proceeds benefit Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), which provides assistance dogs to people with disabilities completely free of charge. Admission is $5, adult walk registration is $35 and parking is free. Visit http://www.cci.org/woofstock for more information.

Highly intelligent, alert, and enthusiastic, the Boston Terrier is affectionate and loyal. This breed is quite animated and has a lovely sense of humor. They thrive on human interaction and on being an integral part of the family. They do best in a home with children over the age of eight years and are exceedingly good with the elderly. They will generally get along with non-canine pets, although males may fight with other dogs. The Boston Terrier has a very sensitive nature and will be affected either positively or negatively by tone of voice or the home atmosphere and environment..

Frequently I receive calls from people wanting to know how to get started with breeding their dog(s).  Normally, after I share with them the amount of time, space, risks and costs, associated with breeding, most people quickly loose interest.

As true as with anything, there is a RIGHT way and a WRONG way to the art of dog breeding, and if it’s done the RIGHT way, their is little or no money to be made.  Please believe me when I tell you that I have been breeding dogs for approx. 16 years and I have never made a dime that I didn’t put right back in to my breeding program.

Weather it be proper genetic testing on my breeding stock, veterinary schooling/education cost for myself, regular maintenance and upkeep on our kennel, food, supplies, and the numbers “surprise” expenses associated with breeding – it all adds up to thousands per year.

Below, I have listed just a few of the costs associated with each litter.  This list does not include other possible costs such as the possibility of your female dog needing to deliver by C-Section (which is common in this breed). The added cost of a C-Section, can be as much as $2,400 or higher.

Money is not the only cost associated with breeding!

Just like taking care of a new baby, taking care of a new litter of puppies takes a lot of time and effort.  Hours are spent cleaning up after a litter of 5 puppies – REMEMBER THEY DON’T COME POTTY TRAINED!   A lot of breeders like to bost that their puppies are born and raised inside their house.  This is great, if you have a room in your home that you don’t mind having 5 puppies pooping and peeing in every 5 minutes – or if you have nothing else to do then stand over your dogs and clean all day long.

To sum it all up – the cost in money, time, space and stress of breeding Boston Terrier’s, if you do it the RIGHT way can be as much as $1,000 per puppy.

Feedback on Exercise Plans
By Lori Mauger, CPDT

As you know, the STAR Puppy program includes a requirement that you submit an exercise plan to your instructor.  The philosophy behind this requirement is to highlight the importance of regular activity in your dog’s life as well as to remind you that one-on-one dog/owner time is a critical necessity for your dog’s overall well being.

The good news is that training your dog counts as exercise—MENTAL exercise.  Dogs need their minds stimulated just as much as they need an outlet for the physical energy in their bodies.  Therefore, those of you who included dog training as part of your exercise plan are to be commended!  By the way, training doesn’t always have to be the “formal” exercises that you learn in class—training includes teaching the dog some tricks such as beg and rollover, and it also includes teaching the dog some games.  In fact, games that are governed by specific rules are the best way to accomplish your total mission:

• To exercise the dog’s mind
• To exercise the dog’s body
• To provide the dog with opportunities to interact and socialize with you

Why are games so important?  Think back to when you were a child.  How did you have fun?  You played games, of course!  Whether it was baseball or basketball, you got together with your friends and played games that had specific rules.  Dogs, like people, are extremely social beings.  Therefore, there’s nothing they enjoy more than to play games with you.  So how do you play organized games with a dog?

• First, you teach them the rules (training)
• Then, you enforce the rules (sportsmanship/good behavior)
• Finally, you have fun! (exercise and socialization)

Games can be anything you dream up.  For example, maybe you already play fetch with your dog, but the only criteria for the game are that you throw the toy, and the dog brings it back.  So how about modifying the fetch game with some simple rules?  First, have the dog sit while you pick up the toy.  If the dog breaks the sit when you reach for the toy, then don’t pick it up!  Start again, and remember to only pick up the toy if the dog remains in a sit.  Next, hold the dog’s collar while you throw the toy (just like we do when the “wait” exercise is introduced using the dog’s food bowl to teach him about self control).  When the dog stops straining against his collar, release him to run and get the toy.  While the dog runs to the toy, you run the other way and hide!  When the dog realizes you’re gone, allow him to briefly search for you (be quiet as he does so).  If he finds you—hooray!!  His reward is another game.  However, if the dog doesn’t fi!
nd you, then peek out from your hiding spot and call his name (which also reinforces the “name game” exercise).  When he gets to you, either reward him with a treat, or start the game again.  Remember, the game itself is rewarding for the dog, so food probably isn’t necessary.  Each time you play, try to pick a different hiding spot to keep it interesting for the dog.  I can’t stress it enough:  dogs LOVE this type of play!  I hope that game playing becomes a top priority in your exercise plan.

©2009 Lori Mauger, CPDT
hipraise@optonline.net
Permission to reprint with credit to author noted

The best thing to do in order to handle this situation is to train them what they can and cannot chew. Keep your belongings out of your pet’s reach. Shoes, socks, books and other things you do not want destroyed should not be left lying around. Even old shoes, clothing and socks should not be given to dogs to chew on because they cannot tell the difference between the old and new.

Since it is not right to totally curtail a dog’s instinct to gnaw on things, direct his attention to things that you want him to chew such as chew toys. Your dog should have lots of it and must be appealing in order to keep him interested. If your dog is fond of chewing things with your scent on them, leave the toy in your laundry hamper for days before giving them to your dog. You may also want to rub something tasty or stuff the toy with anything your dog finds rewarding. When you feel like your dog is up to something, remove the item and give him chew toys instead to divert his attention.

When shopping for dog toys, choose toys that are safe for your pet. Toys that are easily broken or with small parts can be dangerous to your pet so beware of these items. There are also washable toys available.

And just like other behavior problems, the desire to chew can be minimized with regular exercise. Dogs that are physically and mentally stimulated are less likely to get bored thus they are also less likely to chew and become destructive.

About The Author

Richard Cusson is a dog enthusiast and has been writing training tips.