November 9, 2008

strutt your mutt 2008

hi i hope some of you had a chance to visit dog fanciers park for strutt your mutt nov 8th. we held our first doc dog competition! it was a great success! we had all kinds of dogs enter, and so many people came out to watch! it was definately the biggest croud pleaser! you don’t even have to own a dog to enjoy watching doc dogs. if you would like more onfo on it ,visit the lasvegasdocdogs.com website. you can even join the las vegas team! it is great fun and exercise for your dog. strutt your mutt and other dog related events held here are great opportunities for you to come out and see what all the rescue groups are doing. they sell discounted items for pets and hold raffles to raise money for their cause. it is a great way to help out the dog related groups who so desparately need donations. you can even find a dog to adopt! theres always lots to do, and it is fun to see all the people and their pets. i am hoping more people will get interested in doc dogs, and start requesting to see us at other dog related events in town like pet a palooza and even taste of las vegas. if you didnt make it out, try to come to some of the events held for us and our pets. they are a great time and theres lots to see and do. but we really want to get a fan club for doc dogs,check out some doc dog videos on our website and also on you tube!

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October 20, 2008

DENTAL CARE

THERE IS MORE TALK NOW A DAYS ABOUT BRUSHING OUR DOGS TEETH. I DO NOT RECALL ANYONE BRINGING UP THE SUBJECT YEARS AGO, ON TRIPS TO THE VET OR DOG CLASS. BUT NOW WE ARE TOLD THAT BY AGE 3 MANY DOGS ESPECIALLY SMALL BREEDS ALREADY HAVE SOME TEETH PROBLEMS THAT NEED A VETS CARE. SO WITH THAT IN MIND SOME TIPS FOR GOOD DENTAL HEALTH. ARRANGE FOR AN ORAL EXAM AT LEAST YEARLY. PRACTICE GOOD DENTAL CARE AT HOME BY BRUSHING YOUR DOGS TEETH DAILY WITH A PASTE MADE FOR DOGS. PROVIDE TOYS THAT WILL NOT BREAK OR ABRADE YOUR DOGS TEETH WHEN CHEWED . BROKEN TEETH NEED TO BE TREATED RIGHT AWAY. THE LONGER YOU WAIT THE MORE PROBLEMS WILL DEVELOP INCLUDING INFECTIONS AND ABCESS. THESE PROBLEMS ARE VERY PAINFUL FOR THE DOG, SO IT IS UP TO YOU TO KEEP AN EYE ON HIS TEETH AND MAKE SURE HIS MOUTH IS HEALTHY TOO. BE CAREFUL WITH GIVING YOUR DOG BONES WHICH ARE HARD AND CAN BREAK THE TEETH OF AGGRESSIVE CHEWERS. YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON DENTAL HEALTH FOR DOGS AT THE WEBSITE OF THE AMERICAN VETERINARY DENTAL SOCIETY AVDS-ONLINE.ORG OR VOHC.ORG.

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HOME ALONE

IT’S UNFAIR TO ASK YOUNG DOG TO STAY HOME ALONE FOR 8 TO 10 HOURS:HE NEEDS TO GET OUT TO RELIEVE HIMSELF MIDWAY THROUGH THE DAY. IF YOU FORCE HIM TO SOIL IN THE HOUSE, AT WORST YOU CAN CAUSE STRESS RELATED BEHAVIORS, AT BEST YOU MAY CREATE HOUSE TRAINING PROBLEMS.OPTIONS MAY INCLUDE TAKING HIM TO WORK WITH YOU, HAVING FAMILY MEMBERS COME HOME ON THEIR LUNCH HOUR, ARRANGING FOR STAY AT HOME NEIGHBORS TO TAKE HIM OUT, HIRING A PET WALKER TO WALK HIM AND PLAY WITH HIM, OR SENDING HIM TO A WELL RUN DOGGIE DAYCARE ENVIRONMENT.(NOTE: THE DAYCARE OPTION IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A VERY YOUNG PUP.) IF YOU SET UP A ROUTINE TO HELP YOUR DOG SUCCEED, HE’LL SOMEDAY EARN HIS MASTERS DEGREE IN HOME ALONE, AND BE TRUSTED WITH FULL HOUSE FREEDOM. IT MAY BE TOO LATE FOR SOME DOG OWNERS TO SAY THEY’VE NEVER HAD A DOG WITH SEPARATION ANXIETY, BUT IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO SAY NEVER AGAIN.

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October 19, 2008

DID YOU KNOW?

HELLO DID YOU KNOW IT IS ESTIMATED THAT MORE THAN 20% OF DOGS OVER THE AGE OF 1 YR OLD HAVE OSTEOARTHRITIS? LONG TERM USE OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS CAN CAUSE ULCERS AND BLEEDING. FAST GROWING DOGS, ESPECIALLY LARGE AND GIANT BREED DOGS, MAY BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BONE AND JOINT ISSUES BOTH AT AN EARLY AGE AND LATER IN LIFE. I HAVE FOUND ALOT OF PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET FOR K-9 NUTRITION, I DO SEE ALOT OF BONE AND JOINT PROBLEMS IN DOGS OF ALL AGES. SIT MEANS SIT HAS PARTNERED WITH A GREAT COMPANY THAT HAS VERY HIGH STANDARDS FOR THE FORMULATING OF THEIR PRODUCTS, AND ALOT OF RESEARCH GOES INTO IT. MOST OF ALL THOUGH I HAVE TRIED AND SEEN RESULTS THAT ARE POSITIVE IN MY OWN DOGS, AND THAT IS WHY I AM PASSING THIS INFORMATION ON TO YOU. STEADFAST CANINE SUPPLEMENTS DO HELP JOINT AND MUSCLE HEALTH. I HAVE STARTED MY GSD ON IT AFTER HER HIP SURGURY AND DID SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THE USE OF THAT LEG AND BEARING WEIGHT ON IT. ALSO MY 11 YR OLD POM MIX DOES LESS LIMPING. SO I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESUSLTS AND BELIEVE THAT THIS PRODUCT WOULD BE GREAT TO START AT ANY AGE. BUT PREFFERABLY YOUNGER IS BETTER TO HELP WITH JOINT HEALTH WHILE GROWING.I HAVE INFORMATION ON THE SUPPLEMENTS AND YOU CAN E MAIL OR CALL 267-7864 TO ASK QUESTIONS OR ORDER. THANKS AND HAVE A GREAT DAY! KATHY B

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January 6, 2008

Books on Dogs

There are many, many books out there devoted to all things dog. I am sure there are just as many websites. The thing is there is no reason nowadays for people to be going out and blindly picking up a dog.(unless you happen to just find it). When it comes to dog ownership there are responsibilities on our part to know what we are getting into.You should not just get what you think is cutest, you need to find a pet that fits your lifestyle.Now, if you have found yourself in a mismatched situation there are places like sit means sit that can help in a hurry. You can avoid a whole lotta suffering if you do your homwork first. You may find that the breed you want is not well suited for your home or lifestyle. So it helps to ask around and look up dogs that would fit for you and your family. There are dog training books, puppy training books, train whatever breed you have books,potty train your puppy or older dog books, How to be a pack leader books(which so many of us fail at). reading your dogs signals books, introducing a new dog to your home, getting your dog ready for the baby , stress in dogs ,aggression in dogs,(two situations you probably need help from a trainer as well as your books) books. There is just tons of information out there.You owe it to yourself and your pet to be a responsible pet owner and start right from the beginning setting boundries and rules in the home,before the dog is too big for you to handle.Training is like an insurance policy for the future.It amazes me when peope go out and spend lots of money for a certain type of dog and then balk at the cost of a good reliable trainer. Do they never consider what could be the cost of losing the dog because it ran away, or what if it grows up to be really aggressive and hurts someone. We see alot of people who wait till after something expensive at home has been destroyed,then reality sets in and its either the dog goes or you take control as you should have from the start and get training. Unfortunately for some dogs, they end up in the pound. People have to understand a dogs needs before bringing one home.Just because you have a big yard doesnt meen you have plenty of room for your dog to play ,and he doesnt need walks. It is in a dogs nature to want to roam territory,see whos been around. That means outside the walls of your home or yard.A dog needs walks. It is essential to his well being. We can give you the control to have your dog out with you off leash,to hang out, not run away, even if he sees a cat, go for coffee, visit a friend, he will behave,and he will be glad to be with you. There is also abundant material on tricks to teach your dog. This is great stuff as it is another way to stimulate the mind, make the dog think about something, have him master a task, he will also gain confidence.You will be proud of him. You can also find out good ways to keep your dog busy and occupied while you are away, so he doesn’t get into trouble. There are toys ,roomba floor vacs(great for sighthounds)you can put a stuffed rabbit on top of it and let it run around the house all day! The egge toy which is on my shopping link is great for dogs to chase and chase, they have a hard time picking it up but they keep trying anyway.A great way to burn energy. The thing is there are lots of people out there trying to help you ,help your dog, so you both can live happily ever after. So take advantage of the information out there, you can even start a meet-up group in your area for dog people, or people having the same problems with their dog as you. Maybe you could have dog outings together and share info. Remember what works for one person/dog does not always work for all. That is why there is so many views on these subjects ,and some people really need a trainer. Sit means sit is here to help, so dont give up, do the right thing and get training… your dog will thank you for it. You can place your mouse on any of the books in the slide show and go right to amazon to order, most can be found used. You can do the same for the shopping slideshow.

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December 26, 2007

class training

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here are some pictures of our class dogs. Darby is placing on a turned over rubbermaid container with her raindeer antlers, and she is with mollie on another place. We use the place command to have the dog stand on whatever we point to and they are to stay there til we call them. This exercise is good for teaching the dog to stay in one place, and to figure out how to get on certain places as we use difficult as well as easy placeboards. It helps the dog accomplish something and builds confidence.It is good to give the dog a challenge as he will have to figure out how to do something you ask him to do. Which is better than him finding things to figure out while your not home, like how to get into the closet find your best shoes in a plastic container and get them down to eat them. That is why puzzle toys are good to occupy some dogs, they need to think. You can have your dog place on lots of things like rocks big or small, logs walls, benches whatever. we even have dogs that will place on fire hydrants. Another thing we practice with placing is getting the dogs together in close quarters.Some dogs who have issues being around other dogs have to work towards tolerating another dog in their space without getting all nasty.Here darby shows a good example of being with another dog,even having a dog over her is a submissive thing and she tolerates that well.

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December 25, 2007

shopping for your pets

Below are some good shopping sites that have alot of fun products for pets and articles on different subjects related to pets also.I like amazon and petsmart due to the wide variety of products offered. We get many of our dog toys from petsmart like the jolly ball puzzle cubes and balls you can put treats in to keep the dogs busy when your away.The everlasting treat ball which can stand up to even Mollies chewing. Also soft frisbees like the chuck it are very tough. Ceasar Milan has some good books on dog pack mentality how to be a pack leader, and dog behavior. i liked Ceasars Way that had some good info and usually any of the books you want are available used on amazon.I also really like the furminator tool for brushing mollies coat which sheds all the time this tool is worth the money because you can get the job done quicker. I also like shopping for little dog jackets and things to keep our chihuahua warm during the colder months, i have found some good deals on amazon for those also. You can type in anything you want and it will search for you on amazon so i like that also. and now that christmas is over everything will be on sale!!

PetSmart

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December 20, 2007

sit means sit training

Some people have owned dogs most of their lives.They have experience with training, using whatever methods they have learned.Leash train, treat train classes whatever;but still have issues with the dogs behavior.Some dogs continually run away whenever given the chance.Some will not walk well on a leash and pull and jump.They just dont listen 100% of the time, and that makes owners fearful.One of our dogs in class is a 4lb miniature poodle MINI. She was well trained and knew lots of commands. She would still run away.So her family brought her to sit means sit.She does not run away when off leash and she follows her commands more readily.For many people just taking away that fear that the dog will get hurt due to running is well worth their investment in trainig. This family travels alot with their dog and mini stays right with them at all times. That makes for a whole family of happy campers!

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November 27, 2007

pound puppy

this is willow she has been at the bc pound for a while now and they wont keep her anymore. I have worked with her at the pound before she is a nice girl and gets along with other dogs. she learns fast. she could use a good home. i will take her from the pound this sat and keep her til we can find her a home. I will train her while i have her. Anyone interested in her can call me at 267-7864 .We will bring her out to class on sat. so anyone interested can come see her. so get the word out. Anyone interested in fostering a dog whose time has run out at the bc pound please call me and i will let you know when a dog has run out of time, i will help with training any of the pound foster dogs thanks  kathy bethke  sit means sit.

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November 18, 2007

training class in boulder city

These are a couple pics from our training class here in boulder city. it makes for a good class when alot of dogs show up.    we need to have alot of distraction and situations where you can practice what you learn. Especially for those who have dogs with aggression or fear problems. we have to keep exposing the dog to situations it may encounter, and you train the dog that certain behaviors are not allowed. Of course sometimes we do more training of the people on how to act in these situations. That is the whole purpose of having classes you can attend when you are able, you need the training as much as your dog. The more you go, the more you both get out of it. Anyone who has signed up with a sit means sit trainer, it doesnt matter how many yrs ago, can still attend our class, or any others offered. We like to hear testamonials ,from people who have used sit means sit training. Many people tell us of dogs that they had owned who were almost given up or a relationship lost due to behaviors the dog had, sometimes. and how that situation was changed and a dogs life saved because they tried sit means sit and it worked wonders, from day 1. The biggest thing we need people to understand is that this is not a shock collar of any kind, it does not hurt the dog and is not meant to. It  is just to get the dogs attention, and so the dog pays attention to you. Not what his instincts are telling him to do. I myself have a dog that we did not take out of the home with us at all for 8 yrs. the dog would not stop barking and going after others. i tried the usual leash training methods all of which involve some form of dominence over the dog, and nothing worked. Then i tried the sit means sit collar and in 5 min. she was quiet, she would heel off leash, and we have been able to take her with us all the time now. Her whole quality of life has been changed for the better. I know i have spoken to several people who are dealing with some sort of behavior problem  with their dog and they just cannot get past the look of this collar. I let everyone feel the collar it certainly is better than a choke chain, prong collar or even a correction with a flat collar. It is simply an electronic tap that the dog feels when you are talking to him, it lets him know you want him to do, or not to do something. It makes communication between you and your dog so much clearer,and he will obey much faster when he knows what you want. We dont have to yell at our dogs or jerk them around, we just talk. We show them what each command means, and practice. We want to save people the same frustrations that we have had with our own dogs in the past and share this method, it really makes owning a dog a pleasure.  So if you still have problems with your dogs please reconsider checking us out. You will be glad you did.

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