First off, start in your home. If your dog is lying in front of doorways (mine used to like lying in front of the entrance to the kitchen) you must make them move, do not step over them – in their minds they are controlling that door by making you go around or over them. I used a simple “move” command in a stern voice and clapped my hands to get my dogs attention. I also found that stamping my foot was a good way to get them moving. Dogs don’t like sudden loud noises so this is effective. If they refuse to move then walk into them until they do – no kicking, just gentle force using your forward momentum.

Now the front door is a big deal. In the pack the dominant alpha dog controls the entrance and exit to the den, you must make sure that your dog is not lying across the front door all the time. Once again, use the “move” command and if they still refuse to move then take the collar and move them while saying “move” so they understand exactly what you want. Dogs are very smart and will pick up new commands almost immediately, if they are not moving after you have done this several times then you must persist as they are just testing you to see if you will give up. Notice we are not rewarding their behavior with treats, personally I don’t think you should reward your dog for every little thing with treats, especially a dominant dog, they must understand clearly what is expected from them and they will respect you more if you just give them a little “good girl/boy”.

You must be the leader, so when taking your dog out for a walk you should make them sit and stay until you’re outside the front door and then invite them out by giving the command “come”. Obviously this should be done while you are holding the leash so you will need one that is at least 4′ – 5′ long. If your dog rushes past you then take them back inside and repeat. Trust me, your dog will obey after a couple of times of doing this as they will want that walk more than anything else.

When you return home, once again you must enter the home first, making them wait until you are inside and then giving them permission to enter your home. This also translates into making sure your dog is not trying to lead you in the home. Does she get up when she sees you getting ready to go upstairs or into another a room? Does she “lead the way”? You must always walk ahead of your dog, you are the leader and she is the follower.

Having a dominant dog is hard work, you must gain their respect and be the Alpha pack leader. On the plus side is that these ‘free thinking’ dogs are very intelligent and are therefore easy to train but you must always be consistent.

My passive dominant dog now moves away from doorways or any other place where I might need to step over her when she see’s me coming. I also have control over my back door. Make your dog sit and stay while you open the door, wait a few seconds or until they look at you for direction, and say your release command (mine is “OK”). Once again you need to do the same when they are coming back in, make them sit and stay outside the door the give them permission to come in. This took me about two days of work to achieve but I am always consistent with what I expect from her.

Using various techniques like “door control” you can live a happy and rewarding life with your dominant dog.

Leave a comment if you’re interested in learning more of these simple ways to get your dog listening to you and I will be happy to share what I’ve learned works with you.

So, are crates a safe den for your dog or are you just imprisoning them? The ‘den’ argument falls apart somewhat when you use the study of wolves as a reference. The wolf pups are kept in a den that their mother will create to keep them safe but as there is no door on a natural den so the pups are still allowed to wander in and out. As the pups mature they use the den less and less and the adults rarely use them.

So using this information it’s easy to see that dogs (especially adult dogs) don’t instinctively desire the confines of a crate. Of course dogs don’t necessarily see their crates as prison cells either and if you have trained your dog properly, then they will stay quite peacefully confined in their crate. Gradual exposure and positive reinforcement is key when crate training.

If you are crating your dog for use while you are at work then how long can you keep your dog confined before its becomes cruel? There is no definitive answer to this but if you take the fact that a dog will generally need a bathroom break at the six or seven hour mark then this should give you a strong indication of the length of time you can leave them confined. This of course is not even addressing the issue of the dogs need to exercise so there is a strong argument that breaks from the crate should be more frequent.

Crate training is useful when house training a puppy but like most things in life a little common sense is necessary to prevent the confinement of well-behaved adult dogs from becoming cruel. Many responsible dog owners who do crate their dogs while they are at work use the services of a dog walker to ensure their pet is getting a potty break and some good exercise during the day. This is probably the best balance in ensuring your dog’s needs are being met while you are away from home.

- About 50% of pure breed large dogs are prone to hip dysplasia, breeds such as German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweiller’s, Golden Retrievers and Dobermans.

- Most large dogs don’t show symptoms of hip dysplasia until they’re middle aged. The only way to know for sure your dog doesn’t have this problem is to get x-rays done and have your Vet analyze the results. Of course if you have dealt with a reputable breeder then they will disclose any issues with hip dysplasia.

- Memory foam dog beds are recommended by many breeders of large dogs at any age. The fact that they support the dog’s joints properly and don’t inhibit the blood circulation will ensure good bone health.

Ultimately it’s up to the individual dog owner to make a decision on whether these beds are best for their dog. Obviously your Vet would recommend one if you have an elderly dog with arthritis but I had not really considered them necessary for a younger healthy dog.

I welcome your comments and any insights.

My Mastiff/Retriever!

“Outside of a dog, a book is probably man’s best friend; inside of a dog,
it’s too dark to read.”
- Groucho Marx

“To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.”
- Aldous Huxley

“A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times
before lying down.”
- Robert Benchley

“Did you ever walk into a room and forget why you walked in?  I think that’s
how dogs spend their lives.”
- Sue Murphy

“I loathe people who keep dogs.  They are cowards who haven’t got the guts to bite people themselves.”
- August Strindberg

“No animal should ever jump up on the dining room furniture unless
absolutely certain that he can hold his own in the conversation.”
- Fran Lebowitz

“Ever consider what they must think of us?  I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul — chicken, pork, half a cow.
They must think we’re the greatest hunters on earth!”
- Anne Tyler

“I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious
cult.”
- Rita Rudner

“My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to 99 cents a can.  That’s almost $7.00 in dog money.”
- Joe Weinstein

“If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have
known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.”
- James Thurber

“You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with
pets.”
- Nora Ephron

“Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are
wonderful.”
- Ann Landers

“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.”
- Robert A.  Heinlein

“When a man’s best friend is his dog, that dog has a problem.”
- Edward Abbey

“No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does.”
- Christopher Morley

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves
himself.”
- Josh Billings

“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.”
- Andrew A. Rooney

“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite
you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.”
- Mark Twain

“Things that upset a terrier may pass virtually unnoticed by a Great Dane.”
- Smiley Blanton

“I’ve seen a look in dogs’ eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed
contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts.”
- John Steinbeck

Airedale Terriers
Akita Inu
Alaskan Malamutes
American Cocker Spaniel – medium size dog bed
Australian Shepherd
Basset Hound
Beagle
Bichon Frise
Border Collie
Boston Terrier – medium size dog bed
Boxers
Brittany Spaniel – medium size dog bed
Bull Terriers
Bulldog
Bullmastiffs
Cairn Terrier
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels – medium size dog bed
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chow Chow
Cocker Spaniels – medium size dog bed
Collie
Dachshund (mini)
Dalmatian
Doberman Pinscher
English Springer Spaniel
French Bulldogs
German Shepherd
German Shorthaired Pointer
Golden Retriever
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Havanese
Labrador Retriever
Lhasa Apsos
Maltese
Mastiff
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Schnauzer
Newfoundlands
Papillons
Pekingese
Pointers
Pomeranian
Poodle (toy)
Poodle (standard)
Portuguese Water Dog
Pug
Rottweiler
Saint Bernard
Samoyed
Schipperke
Scottish Terrier (Scottie)
Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)
Shih-Tzu
Siberian Husky
Weimaraner
Welsh Corgi
West Highland Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier

If you have an outdoor dog bed, then your favorite pet will no longer need to dig a bunker to sit in. Dogs like to dig little bunker like holes for them flop down into so that they can stay cool while sitting outside. If you have an outdoor dog bed, your dog will spend more time hanging out on the dog bed than digging fresh holes for you to fill up. Dogs love to play, and they really love to dig holes, I’m not sure why. Maybe someone told them about a buried treasure bone that they feel they must find, or maybe they are searching for an easier way to get to China so that they can try some great Chinese dog food. Either way, dogs love to dig, for whatever reason. You can stop the digging by putting out an awesome outdoor dog bed.

Your dog will be pleasantly surprised to find a dog bed for them outside underneath their favorite tree. Chances are that you’ll find your dog hanging out by the dog bed from now on when they are outside. There will not be time anymore to dig holes. Your dog will be too busy lounging around on their new favorite dog bed.

You should make a smart investment, and get your dog an outdoor dog bed. Being outside and on a dog bed gives your dog the best of both worlds. Would you enjoy having to sit around in a pile of dirt? I didn’t think so! Neither will your dog, and after all they are you’re best friend.

What kind of bowl is your dog eating or drinking out of, one that is flat on the floor? Chances are that if that is the case, your dog’s back is not in the best shape that it could be. For a dog to eat or drink out of a regular bowl would be the equivalent to you eating or drinking while trying to do toe touches as well. Doesn’t sound like too much fun if you ask me! Your dog is going to need something more practical to eat or drink out of. I’m talking about elevated dog bowls, of course! Yes, dog bowls that are elevated to keep a dog’s back straight, what a genius and brilliant idea!

No longer will the dog have to bend his neck into an uncomfortable position just so they can drink a little bit of h2o. I’ll bet you that Fido has been begging you to get him a dog bowl that is elevated because his neck has been hurting. Why haven’t you already done this? Go ahead and take the walk of shame now.

Now that you’ve done that, it’s time to make another awesome purchase for you favorite friend. Time to throw out the cheap flat bowl, and bring in the top-quality elevated dog bowls! Your dog will feel like a king (or a queen) when they drink out of a dog bowl that won’t require them to half break their necks when they want to eat or drink. You should try doing aerobic exercises while eating a bucket of chicken off of the floor and see how you feel. Just remember that your dog works hard every day to make your life easier. You have your own personal security dog at night that watches over your house and guards against intruders (mine at least pretends to be ferocious.)

Elevated dog bowls are good purchases to make, as it will help to keep your dogs back in good condition. We’ve talked a lot about the different reasons to get one of these dog bowls, now go and make your dog happy!

Do you ever wonder why Scooby-Doo was always so happy? Was it because of the Scooby snacks? No way! Scooby was always happy because, after he would come home tired from solving a crazy mystery and unmasking the bad guys, he flopped down onto his extra large dog bed and slept comfortably, of course! See, Shaggy knew that because Scooby was a Great Dane, a small dog bed would not suffice, and they would need to get a much larger one.

There are those of you who own your own real life Scooby’s (and they may not even be Great Dane’s, either), and you are making poor Scooby either sleep on the floor, or sleep on a dog bed that is hardly big enough to accommodate Scrappy-Doo (and he’s tiny!) You need to upgrade, and get an extra large dog bed for your favorite friend.

If you think your dog doesn’t care whether or not he or she has to sleep on the floor, then I would say that you should try sleeping on the floor for a couple of days, and when you wake up one morning to find your back dislocated, you will probably know what I mean. Dogs work hard every day to keep you busy filling up the holes that they dug for you (there’s always a good reason for a dog to dig a hole), and all they expect in return is to come inside and flop down onto their extra large dog bed. Just like you work hard at your job every day and you expect to come home to a nice clean house with a nice fat steak on the table. Take care of your Scooby, and invest some money into his dog bed.

Your extra large dog may not be a Great Dane; he might in fact be a Golden Retriever, or a Rottweiler. Let me say something about Rottweiler’s, do you want to know why some of them are always cranky?  It’s because most of them have to sleep outside on a hard slab of concrete, and don’t have a comfortable, extra large dog bed to sleep on!

View are huge (bad joke!) selection of beds for your big dog here

A pink dog bed is for the girls only, so if you have 5 girl dogs, then you will need 5 pink dog beds, because you want them all to feel just as special. Your dog needs to feel special and loved, and you can show them that you love them and care for them by making a purchase for the dog bed that they have been wanting for so long. I know that if I were a girl dog (which I’m not, just to clarify), I would want a pink dog bed! If you did not get me the dog bed that I wanted, then I just wouldn’t talk to you anymore, so hmph!

You should try to make your dog feel special in any way possible. One of those ways, if your dog qualifies for it, is to get them a pink dog bed. Now, don’t go out and get your scruffy male dog a bed that is pink! That’s just not cool, and your male dog will probably be totally insulted by it, and may even retaliate by stealing your dinner from the table for a week! At any rate, if you want to make your lovely, cuddly girl dog feel like a special dog, you may want to put her in her own pink dog bed, and you can get something etched on the side of it, like “The “New” Macho”!

View a great selection of pink dog beds here!