Caleb and Dakota. Sissy/Mikki & Dais/Sam.
Title: Dog care, breeds, training and pictures
Description: Educational guide to in-depth knowledge
of dog's breeds their training and care and more.

Lots of GSD info! AND long coat info, LC gifts and beautiful pics as well!  Annette Sowers.
READ about Heartworm Preventative, Lyme Disease vaccines, and Dog Food RISKS
Sissy/Mikki girl- Quins own web site. Ear gluing example too.

Nikki Web Cam. Stormy/Bear girl pup.
Tons of pics of Mr. Kudzu Pippi/Sammy 
More pics of Kudzu and beautiful pictures from around USA and EUROPE.

The First Years Hands Free Baby Gates.
Americas Forgotten Heros - War Dogs
Pedigree Abbreviations
Toad Poisoning, Bufo or Cane toads.
Swimming Pool ALARMS
SWIMMING POOL OWNERS!!! Safety Ramps- so if your dog accidently fell into the pool, he could get out of the pool!
Great to keep pups/dogs off the furniture-to see - X-MATS. Can be order in most of the catalogues.
Raw Food Calculator
***Another REALLY EXCELLENT article for socializing and raising a confident Puppy!
Many Dog Safety Warnings.
Harmonious Principles for Human Living by Peace
ARTICLES: This is the vaccine new (3 years ago) vaccine protocol that I use for my own dogs & (below)
CHECK TO SEE if YOUR dog food is on this list and YOU compare.... Ingredients list of some national 'store brand' dog foods.
What is normal body temperature for dogs and how to take your dogs temperature.
20,000 'German' German Shepherd names.

** German Shepherd Colors, Coat Lengths, Patterns, etc
Water color Pet Portraits      by Mike Robichaux
Weight Assessment Chart.
NEW!!! (3 years ago) > CANINE VACCINATION GUIDELINES-CHART.  chart 2   chart 3

Kids and Dogs: Safety First.
DogFriendly.com lists and describes thousands of dog-friendly places throughout the U.S. and Canada, from lodging to outdoor restaurants, parks, beaches, attractions and more. View thousands of FREE listings online or purchase one of our most recently published  dog travel books. 
More, very good  info, on Prong/Pinch collars.
SHOULD YOU Trust Your Dog??! -The Deadly Disease.
Your Pure Bred Puppy- Advice You Can Trust
NILIF- Nothing in life is free- Being Alpha.
  Puppy having energy bursts??
Winning your Puppys Trust & Respect.
Begining of a Relationship w/your New Puppy
Your Puppys First Day.(except we use different feeding schedule)
Protecting Your Puppy Against Parvo.
For 5 years when people come to pick up their new puppy I had been giving what I call the 'Parvo Lecture'. In efforts to try to save some time I decided to print it out and send to people but have decided to put up on the site as others may want to read it too.  We are very cautious- perhaps overly so- about not exposing our Babies to Parvo.

Puppies are NOT covered in the guarantee against Parvo or other 'contagious diseases' if it was not acquired at the Breeders residence.

Parvo is a disease that puppies and unvaccinated dogs can acquire.

When you come to pick up your puppy you will be required to step the bottom of your shoes in a bucket of bleach water and may be asked to wash you hands. When I take puppies to the vet for their ''vet check' I place them on top of their crate or I wipe the table w/a Clorox wipe if I dont see the vet or vet assistant wipe the table.

Puppies are NOT fully protected against this disease until they have received the FULL series of Parvo vaccinations at about 16 weeks of age.

I advise puppy purchasers NOT to stop on their way home for 'potty breaks'. It is safer for puppy to 'go' in his/her crate or on newspapers or on a blanket (BRING W/YOU) in the car- if he/she has to go. We advise you do not stop at roadside rest stops where it says 'walk your dog here' or even on either side of those areas since that is where a lot of dogs would have been. If you feel you must stop anyway-even though I advise not to- puppy can be put down outside on newspapers or try to find an area where you 'think' doesn't look to be very frequented by dogs- which you really cant tell.

Try to keep your puppy mostly at home(They can go out in the car and you can carry puppy around if you do go out- which is GREAT for puppy!) till they have received their 12 week vaccine and then discuss with your veterinarian about taking puppy out at that time which would still be prior to them receiving their 16 week vaccine. Most people tell me that their vets say at that time-12 weeks- that puppies should be fine to take places. I myself would still not take puppy to any places where MANY dogs or people frequent - Example: Pet stores, dog parks/shows, the fair or the mall, etc. till after their 16 week vaccine. I do take mine out after their 12 week shot as they need to be socialized be the time they are 16 weeks old. Public places should be fine at that time just not places where there has been high dog/people traffic. Prior to the full series they can and most do enjoy going for rides in the car.

The DILEMMA here is that puppies MUST be socialized by the time they are 16 weeks old. They can be socialized to a lot while they are at home - Example: your family, friends, and children coming to your home, vacuums and other sounds/noises, different floor materials. etc. Then they can be exposed to MUCH MORE from the 12 to 16 week period like: meeting 'strangers', meeting other dogs and animals, new areas and situations.

If you have a training question/problem: Best to ask your Breeder/Trainer after the first occurrence rather that letting the behavior go uncorrected and being reinforced. Problems are much more difficult to undo at a later date- if possible to undo at all! 

Please ask Breeder of your puppy if you have more ?'s.

Do not allow puppy to do puppy mouthing/biting behaviors. An older, bigger dog has a bigger bite! Giving a 'scruff shake/tug' works or a small collar correction(better)if your puppy has a 'training tab' on his collar. If the correction is the right hardness for your puppy/dog the behavior will stop. Always start at fairly easy correction and then increase the level till you find what works for your puppy/dog. Not to worry if puppy gives a little  yelp-the point was gotten across.   

FROM LEERBERG SITE....http://leerburg.com/articles.htm "QUESTION:Our puppy is very, very mouthy. It grabs my kids, my arms, my pants. What should I do to stop this?                                                                                        ANSWER:Many puppies younger than 4 or 5 months (especially in working breeds) are very mouthy. They bite pant legs, arms, rags, kids, etc. They are not doing this because they are mean. The fact is that 99.9% of them probably have a pretty sound temperament. When a pup does this it is displaying prey drive. If you would like to read more about prey drive go to the articles I have written on my web site on the Drives of Protection Training. Even if you have no interest in protection training you will learn what prey drive is from this article.                                                                                                                                                                 This mouthyness goes away on its This mouthyness goes away on its own("usually...not always! - Sandy") when most dogs are 4 to 5 months old. But if you have a little 10 week old alligator that can seem like an eternity. Puppies can be taught not to bite the handler or family members by simply saying "NO, or PHOOIE" and then grabbing them by the scruff of the neck and shaking them. You usually have to shake them until they scream. Often a light shake only makes them think you are playing with them and they growl and try to grab you. So if this happens you are not being forceful enough. It normally only takes 3 to 5 times of doing this properly to teach the pup that when you say "NO, or PHOOIE" it means stop biting. Doing this also helps establish yourself as the pack leader. Dogs are instinctual pack animals. By using your head and a very limited amount of force or pressure you become the unquestionable pack leader. This helps control any later dominance problems with the dog." END


And ALSO do NOT allow puppy, when it gets a bit older, to show aggression if the Puppy goes thru the 'fear period'(around 4 -5 mo. and then again around to 9 months-1 year) - example: barking at strangers or other dogs. Do NOT pet or console and say 'its okay'. (that would actually reward his inappropriate behavior) ONE EXAMPLE: Puppy would need to be told to sit(if knows sit) and then to "make friends", corrected if gets up from the sit or barking again -PRAISE after when told when 'make friends' and he is! (If puppy doesnt know 'sit' command you will just have to correct for the barking, dont let him avoid the situation, tell him to 'make friends', PRAISE PROFUSELY when 'making friends') When puppies go through the fear stage and the 'issue' is worked through the proper way they gain confidence.

The 2 above mentioned behaviors are normal puppy behaviors but reasons for ALL puppy owners to be enrolled in puppy kindergarten classes to help them to understanding their pets behaviors and to learn about training them. Always be FIRM and CONSISTENT w/your new pup/dog as they need to know YOU are the one in charge-ALPHA- NOT them. If you are not in charge- they will be! Like children - they seem to be happiest knowing their limits and what is expected of them. Of course you may call your Breeder for help as well but classes are best for socializing and obedience training. A well mannered dog is a joy to be around.

Dog Training Classes: Make sure the trainer is experienced w/German Shepherds and uses 'collar corrections and praise'. Not - treat training, halti's, harnesses, etc.  If you cannot find a trainer always good to ask your local K-9 Officer for a recommendation. 

Training Tab: For doing collar corrections when your puppy/dog does not have a leash on. You can make a training tab for your puppy/dog by buying an inexpensive nylon leash. Attach it to your puppy/dogs collar and cut it off where it is long enough for your hand to grab a hold of it with about a inch or 2 remaining below your hand. Take tab off when puppy/dog is unsupervised or in the crate.

A FEW of the RULES OF USING A CRATE:
VERY IMPORTANT: If you can not actually keep your eyes on your pup he needs, to be in his crate. (For his Safety and especially for Housebreaking) His collar should be removed when he is in his crate for safety reasons. Do not put his crate where he is isolated from you. Dogs are pack animals and you are his pack. At night his crate should be in your bedroom with you. Never use his crate as punishment. It should be a positive place for him. Your puppy may cry, whine, howl, or bark at first. This is normal puppy behavior and should stop in a few days once he gets used to it.


"Socialization does two things to habituate the puppy. It reduces the number of things in the world that a puppy might be frightened of and it continually provides the experience of first being afraid and then recovering.
According to most behaviorists, bounce-back is one of the most valuable traits you can "teach" a dog. And the more often the puppy recovers" (puppy owners need to learn how to help  puppy recover), "the list of things/people/experiences that the puppy is not afraid of grows faster and faster.

There are several stages/periods in a puppy's life where learning and/or socialization is maximized. Behaviorists and researchers don't all agree on the exact age or same influences within these stages, but all emphasize the importance of understanding and utilizing this information to raise the best puppies possible.

Behaviorists define a sensitive period (or critical stage) is a 'point in the maturing process when events are susceptible to leaving long-term effects' or a period when 'learning is easier and knowledge gained is stored in the long-term memory'. During sensitive periods, experiences have major or even damaging effects on future behavior of the dog. Transition between one period/stage to another is usually gradual and varies from animal to animal. The term "window of opportunity" is often used in the literature because certain experiences need to happen (or not to happen, in some cases) at a particular time, and if not, the "window" closes and the potential benefits of those experiences are missed."  (with proper response from owner/trainer)

"Puppies must be exposed to a wide array of smells, textures, surfaces, sounds, vibrations, tastes and sights, including and especially a comprehensive variety of people.
The more chances a puppy has to be properly exposed to something new during the critical socialization periods, the less bothered it will be throughout the rest of its life when confronted by other new or frightening things.

  Fears are caused from the dog's experiences in life."
(or lack of)  " Everything an adult dog is expected to do or co-exist with should be added to the socialization program - ie children, swimming, exposure to stock, dog shows, etc, etc, etc...

Undersocialized dogs are shy, fearful, become defensive, discriminate threats inappropriately, and may even bite out of fear. They often will be over dependent on their owners.

Flight Instinct Period (4-8 months)This period can last for a few days or several weeks. The puppy's first response is to flee. A puppy that previously came every time you called will now "turn a deaf ear" and be very difficult to catch. It's important to avoid off-leash time and to praise correct responses. Some people refer to this time as the "ha-ha-ha, you can't catch me" time. Use of a long line during this time will prevent accidents and actually shorten the length of time the puppy behaves in this manner.

Socialization requires creativity and is an ongoing process that should last the entire life of the dog. There are many obstacles to properly socializing a puppy- their owners work outside the home all day, dogs are unwelcome in most public places, owners avoid exposure to other dogs to reduce the risk of disease transmission, inexperienced owners/breeders don't understand dog behavior, effective puppy classes and trainers are unavailable or not deemed necessary; the owner stops because either the older puppy is very outgoing or the puppy is out of control by now; the list could go on and on, but there is no substitution for intensive and ongoing socialization for ALL puppies."

1. NOT to use calcium supplements under Calcium.   Article 2.
EARS  NOT to add calcium (under:'Note')for getting EARS up- just if necessary, GLUE-Tear Mender.
Getting EARS UP article- very informative but if necesssary we would do slightly different-Our Article.
Prevent COLLAR DEATHS with BREAK AWAY COLLAR       KENNEL/CRATE SAFETY We only use the plastic crates,
Growing pains. 'Pano'- and another article, Panosteitus.
'No company in the world  makes pet foods like Natura...'
Macho Sticks- Bully Stick Chews
FOOD ALLERGIES? IVD Dog food! When we had a never bred Golden Retriever with allergies we thank-
fully learned about this 'Limited Ingredients Diet' that helped tremendously!  Venison, Rabbit, or Duck; and Potatoes.  
Find a Responsible Breeder 2 Check List
Just Shepherds- All about long coats! Very  interesting and informative site!!
Training Articles. http://www.dogproblems.com
The Importance of Correct Positioning on Canine HIP X-rays.
Under 'Training Articles' and 'Hip and Elbow X-rays on Your Dog'.

GSD HIP RANKING-
GSD'S rank #38 on 'OFA' Site(9/6/04) w/#1 being highest.
STEROIDS: Are there safe & effective alternatives???
Locate  A DogTrainer in your area.
The Working Shepherds-Temperaments and Drives
What is Schutzhund?
MORE Socializing: Remember when you are in public places keep your puppy leashed as it may save its life one day, and it is also the LAW. Do not limit your puppy to this list, be creative, and have fun! Here is a list of things to socialize your puppy to:

1. Introduce your puppy to as many people as you can, irregardless of age, sizes, ethnicity, disabilities, appearance or dress.

2. Introduce your puppy to people in motion such as walkers, bicyclists, skaters, joggers, persons using wheelchairs or canes.

3. Introduce your puppy to other healthy, vaccinated, friendly dogs and cats.

4. Introduce your puppy to different urban and woodland environments. Remember to have them leashed you do this.

5. Take your puppy to the veterinarian's office, not only for its shots and check-ups, but to just visit. This helps build the association that good things can happen when you go to the veterinarians' office.

6. Take your puppy to the pet shop with you.

7. Take your puppy on car rides. Do not leave a puppy in a vehicle with its windows rolled up for even a minute as it can quickly suffer from heat stroke and die. Also, do not leave the widows rolled down as your puppy can jump out of the car and become lost, injured, or even killed. If you can't take your puppy with you when you get out of the car, leave it at home.

8. Take your puppy to a friend's houses.

9. Take your puppy to outdoor sporting events.

10. Expose your puppy to anything which makes noise and/or moves in your house such as running vacuum cleaners, sweeping and mopping or a running dishwasher.

11. Expose your puppy to stairs, carpeted floors, wood or vinyl floors, grass, *pavement,* gravel paths and anything else you can find. *Please note: Check the temperature of any outdoor pavement before allowing your puppy to touch it, they can get pretty hot.

12. Allow your puppy supervised visits in all rooms of your home.

Sharon Bradberry is the founder and primary trainer at Fredericksburg Canine Academy (540-898-8823)gooddogz.org


*MORE on Socializing our Puppy and at bottom of page also.
Proper way to place a slip collar (correction collar) on your dog. Easiest way with your puppy sitting front of you when you are holding the collar in front of you it should look like a 'P' for PUPPY- NOT a '9' - 9 is NO!
To pinch or not to pinch? (COLLARS)
Who's in Charge Here? A lesson in Becoming ALPHA
Avoiding or correcting domimance problems (INFO about PUPPY MOUTHING)
Training the young dog (except 'NO' MUST be paired with a correction.)
The Leash Connection - wholesale dog supplies.
Dog AGE Conversion Chart- Your dogs age equivelant in human years.