Irish Wolfhound and Newfie at the Beach

Irish Wolfhounds are very tall and gentle. They get along well with other dogs and enjoy walking on he beach. This 14 month old Irish Wolfound makes his Newfie buddy look small.

Newfoundlands

Newfoundlands have an incredible instinct to rescue people who might be in trouble in the water. These giant dogs will sometimes try to rescue people who are trying to ride the waves and do not need to be rescued. When there are no people in the water to drag into shore, they will often rescue driftwood or seaweed. They are powerful swimmers and can easily rescue a full grown man or tow a small boat into shore.

Newfoundland Lifeguards

This 8 year old Landseer does not like it when people dunk their heads too long in the jacuzzi. She will jump in if he does not surface soon. When he did surface, she checked his airway to make sure he was breathing.

Pet Fair at OC Fairgrounds

The pet fair at the Orange County Fair grounds is large this year. There are lots of dogs, puppies, kittens, and cats looking for homes. The vendors have many unique items. Some booths are giving out free samples. There are a lot of demonstrations and trainers. The meet the breed booths allow you to meet the breed before you adopt a dog. The food was expensive at some booths. Shop around to save money on food and drinks.

Portugese Water Dogs

The Obamas received a puppy as a gift from the Kennedy's. Their new puppy is a 6 month old Portugese Water Dog. The puppy was returned to a responsible breeder in Texas by the original buyer and has now been adopted by the Obamas. The first puppy has been named Bo.

Portuguese Water Dogs are an ancient breed that have worked with fishermen along the coast of Portugal for centuries. They are excellent swimmers and seafarers. These medium size dogs can dive under water and retrieve fishing gear. The Portugese Water Dog stands 17 to 23 inches at the shoulders and weighs between 35 and 60 pounds. They are a fun breed with their own water sports, titles, and trials.

The people from the Portuguese Water Dog Clubs are some of the friendliest people I have met at dog shows. This breed is hypoallergenic, intelligent, and loves water. Although this breed is considered hypoallergenic, the experts from the The Portuguese Water Dog Club of America suggest people spend some time with the breed to make sure you are not sensitive to the coat. To learn more about the Portuguese Water Dog go to www.pwdca.org/.

Soccer Collies

Soccer Collies challenge 4 to 8 people at a time who try to guard 4 soccer goals arranged in a circle. The soccer collies are unstoppable. The border collies score goal after goal, while goalies scramble to block the soccer balls.

Teaching Your Dog To Come When Called

Start with your dog on a six foot leash. Call you dog's name and give the command "come". You can use the leash to pull your dog towards you or use a treat to help your dog learn faster. Go crazy with praise when your dog reaches you. When your dog even starts moving towards you, go crazy with praise to encourage your dog to keep coming.

After your dog is doing well on the six foot leash, use a long line. Then, add distractions. Be patient and help your dog to learn. Always give lots of praise and never strike or yell at your dog.

Your dog should never be afraid to come to you. You must always reward your dog for coming to you, even if your reason for calling your dog is to stop undesirable behavior. Never punish a dog that comes when called.

Some dogs will come so fast that you need to brace yourself and be prepared to turn sideways to prevent being knocked to the ground. If you are small and your dog is large, you should teach your dog to sit in front of you, or circle you and sit down, rather than jump into you arms or bowl you over when called.

Dogs come to people who reward them with praise, affection, or treats. Dogs like to chase and be chased. You will exhaust yourself trying to chase your loose dog and "catch me if you can" is a fun game for your dog. If you are trying to catch your loose dog, run away from your dog, tempt your dog with a toy, or show your dog their leash.

Dogs will often run towards you when they see their leash. Dogs who go for lots of walks on leash know their leash means a walk. Most dogs do not consider that they are already loose and can go for a walk on their own without their leash and owner.