Posted on April 02, 2009 by Nancy Houser

First of all I would like to thank all the dog bloggers who have helped put together this first National Dog Blog Carnival. Hopefully, it will be the first of many other dog carnivals with lots of information for dog lovers and dog owners. If you have something to say, this is the place to list it as long as it is positive and beneficial to both dogs and their owners/trainers–plus a cat or two!

JUST DOG DAYZ

The first blog on the dog walk is Paula’s JUST DOG DAYZ, with her blog submission “How to Choose the Correct Collar for Your Dog“.

As we all know, “Dog collars are an essential item for any new dog or puppy but how do you know which is the right one for your pet when there is such a huge range to choose from? There are dog training collars, designer dog collars, leather collars, electronic dog collars, fancy, spiked and beaded collars, dog tracking collars, reflective collars, personalized collars, anti-bark collars and the list goes on.”

Paula describes how each collar is for a specific purpose and how to fit your dog for each one. Check out her blog for quality information and to get a new perspective on dog collars!

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BREEDS OF DOGS

The next blog of the carnival is BREEDS OF DOGS who have submitted the article “Potty Training Your Puppy“, which is something every new puppy owner or even professionals enjoy reading. For more in-depth reading–check out the blog article and take a few cues: “If you want to successfully potty train your new dog, the first thing you must realize is that the dog is going to take its cues from you.

“Make sure that your house is clean and that the floors are not cluttered. If a dog sees that there is constantly stuff on the floor and that you don’t care how your house looks, it will copy that behavior. You need to set a good example for your new canine friend. By doing something as small as keeping the house a little cleaner, you’ll help to clear up any mixed signals your dog may be receiving.”

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RAISING WHISKERS

Oddly, we have received a submission from a blog called RAISING WHISKERS, with an article called “Cat Health Problems“. Hey, we’re good with it!  And dogs like cats, especially healthy cats, right?

“Most cat health problems can be easily prevented with proper attention, timely vaccinations and healthy food. But even after all your love and care if your cat still develops a health problem, do take it to a vet to get the right advice and medical help.”  Check out the excellent feline blog as this advice is not only for cats, but for all animals…including dogs!

Advice #1:

Let us now learn about some common cat health problems and some simple ways to deal with them:

• Worms are something that your cat could be infested with. These could be tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms or parasites like fleas. If you feel that your cat is not putting on weight despite eating enough food or if you find white specks in its stool then get your cat tested for worms. Worms can easily be got rid off with proper treatment.

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BO KNOWS–He Just Don’t Listen!

An adorable website, BO KNOWS directly writes from the words of wisdom of the dog Bo, “Having existed on the third planet from the sun for over sixteen years, I have managed to become quite a wise canine. This blog is to share that wisdom with the rest of the canine world. As everyday news stories cross my desk, I will impart my thoughts and advice.”  With this in mind, the article chosen to best represent this wise canine is “Dog Looks Like a Man” :

“There are days (mostly gray, cloudy days), I lay on my parents bed with my father. Just me, him and the sound of silence. He spoons me and pets my head while offering me a devil’s deal.

“BoBo buddy…let’s trade places for a while. You go to work and I’ll just lay around all day.”

It’s a suckers bet since he only does this when the smell of stress emanates from his pores, or to be more exact-his armpits.

I know, and he knows, that he’s looking to run away and strap poor old me to the bomb that is his career. No thanks.

Once you read this article, I guarantee you will be hooked–line and sinker. Enjoy, enjoy… By the way, Bo has a new book called “Bad to the Bone: Memoir of a Rebel Doggie Blogger” and would like to share it with you:

UPDATE 2-16-09!! Click here to read preview chapters and to get updates on the upcoming book

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STALE CHEERIOS

Mary’s blog, Stale Cheerios is a blog named for Mary’s dog Ginger whose favorite food is “stale cheerios”.

Excellent creativity and a grabby name, the blog is about training and behavior of all species–including humans–as the methods cross over in some areas.

A fascinating website, her carnival submission is titled “Dog  Training Update” with an excellent video on hand-training with her dog. The article also offers excellent training tips on targeting type behaviors. If you are interested in quality training advice by someone with a biology degree and in-course with behavior training, this is the one to head for.

Mary also has submitted a choice blog article on the “ORCA Great Minds Conference“, which focuses on “The Art and Science of Animal Training: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?” Involved in the conference are about half a dozen top trainers talking about topics such as animal training, clicker training, operant conditioning, and the future of training. Second to being there in person, this blog has it all so check it out and take notes, everyone. It will be worth the  time spent.

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THE WAR DOG

Gin does not have a blog but she does have an excellent story to share. Titled “Remembering an Unsung Hero, The War Dog“, it is well-worth reading so check it out: 

Dogs have shown through history that they are indeed capable of being faithful, loyal and fiercely protective of their human master, under the right care and environment. They will view us as the alpha male and/or female. Our family becomes their pack and we are their leader therefore we have their unconditional love, loyalty and protection.

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WHATITIS.ORG

Another entry for the National Dog Blog Carnival is the blog “WhatIsIt.org–Discover What Things Really Are“.  Its blog contribution for the month of April is “Different Ways to Train Your Dog” by John Charles in Pets. Discussing the many different and varied forms of dog training, it offers advice on what is best to use and what is appropriate for a certain dog–something that many people basically are unaware of. Check it out and do some serious reading if you are looking for alternative ways to train your dog, or even if you wish to reevaluate what you are doing! 

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A HOUSE CALLED NUT

The blog “A House Called Nut” has submitted a blog article entitled “Faster than a…Pomeranian“.  Excellent photography, it shows the excitement of playing in the snow while “winter in Pähkinä brings the sudden materialization of a field behind the house—a field of ice. We’ve spent a lot of time these past few months skiing, walking, and just playing on the frozen lake.”  If you love snow in Pähkinä, check out the beautiful Finnish scenery at this blog. Enjoy and eat your heart out!

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DOG TRAINING-Step by Step

The “Dog Training – Step by Step” blog states it is aimed to teach you, the responsible dog owner, the easy step by step methods of training your dog. If you are new at this, this blog is for you. If you are an experienced dog trainer, do not just click away – SIT STAY!

Their contribution to this very first National Dog  Blog Carnival is “Finding the ‘right’ agility dog!”. Several things of interest are listed: energy; wanting to please you; prey drive; the confident dog; trust other people; health, age and weight; and socializing with other dogs.  And…oh, yes…one needs a dog to immediately start training with all agility training correction free! Interesting reading, check it out. 

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GWENMART.COM

The GwenMart.com blog has submitted an article entitled “Caring for Your Small Dog.” Discussing a few minor adjustments to meet the needs of a small dog, their doesn’t seem to be anything major between the large and small ones. But what is there is extremely important. 

For example, the blog considers feeding time a high priority for the little dog and the type of food that needs to be purchased.  Regular kibble is not advised for a tiny Chihuahua or other small breed.  Containing the little dog is another area of concern, with the smaller dog more apt to get out of a traditional exercise pen or enclosed area.  If you have a small dog, it might be advisable to read the article to get a few pointers for your animals’ safety along with other areas of concern. 

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CONDO BLUES

The blog Condo Blues discusses things that are big on style and small on budget, like their article “How to Make a Braided Fleece Pet Toy“. Make from scrap fleece leftovers from a previous sewing project, the author made a braided toy for her friend’s little Boston Terrier puppy by the name of Chopper (get the idea why?).    

Compared to an hour or two from the local store chewies, the author claims this homemade toy may last up to three days. I may try one out myself to make, as I have several old Chopper’s at my place also!

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MYSTERIOUS BEAUTIFUL

Last but certain not least is Beth’s  blog “Mysterious Beautiful-the animals around us” has contributed her blog article “The state of positive dog training in New Jersey.”  A change in life began for her when the following statement on how to train her dog was offered during the free consultaion for a new training school:

Everything in nature exists on some level of fear.

From then on, she moves forward while never looking backwards, asking her self the question why shouldn’t  common sense told her  you don’t punish fear. Excellent article and one to take the time to read. 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the dog blog carnival.  Now that we are completed for the month, the National Dog Blog Carnival will be forwarded to everyone of you who has submitted. Additionally, we will forward to Twitter, Digg, Stumbleupon, Technorati, Google Reader, Mixx, plus to  family and friends. When you receive it, go over it and let me if anything needs changed before it hits the social circus! Then forward it to your own social sites, family and friends. Hopefully, everyone who has contributed will receive extra hits because of it.

Thanks to all!

See you May 4th for the National Dog Blog Carnival #2. Mail any articles you want submitted or dog-related information to <dogblogcarnival@waycooldogs.com> with your home blog URL and the article URL, name, address and type of blog article sent (humorous, training, diet, etc.)

Related posts:

• Catch up on previous National Dog Blog Carnival Participants!
• National Dog Blog Carnival #2 for May 4, 2009
• Entries being accepted for the National Dog Blog Carnival #1
• 7th National Dog Blog Carnival has arrived!
• National Dog Blog Carnival #3 is Online!!