For individuals looking for their first dog, and whose needs dictate an adult animal rather than a pup or kitten, the perfect answer is often to turn to an animal shelter. Not all animal shelters function as their name seems to imply though. That is, not all of them provide shelter, food, and care for a homeless animal until a new home becomes available.

One such organization whose standards far surpass the average home is the Bideawee organization, formerly known as the Bide-A-Wee Home Association. Entrusting a beloved pet to their care, the bereaved owner is assured that no animal is ever destroyed unless it is incurably ill.

Located in Manhattan and in both Wantagh and Westhampton, Long Island, the Bideawee Home has been finding loving new homes for unwanted animals for more than 100 years. Thousands upon thousands of dogs and cats are placed in loving new homes each year by the efforts of the Bideawee group.

Such a wide variety of animals passes through Bideawee each week that the prospective pet owner usually has no difficulty finding exactly what he's looking for. The variety of pups and dogs of mixed ancestry is unending and these combination often produce marvelously handsome, hardy animals.

While purebred pups and kittens rarely find their way to the Home, purebred adult animals frequently find themselves up for adoption - concrete evidence of too many pups and kittens of pure as well as mixed ancestry are glutting the animal market. Dogs and cats of almost every known breed from Afghan to Abyssinian have at one time or another been offered for adoption at Bideawee.

A Reasonable Organization

A small donation goes a long way at Bideawee. Only a small fee is charged for people to put the animals up for adoption, which includes inoculation. When available, purebred pets may cost slightly more but well within the means of most prospective pet owners.

All pets are sent out with a health guarantee and are treated free of charge should they exhibit symptoms of illness within the specified guarantee period. Every animal that is placed for adoption has received at least a temporary inoculation against distemper (and, in the case of cats and kittens, against pneumonitis too) and has been thoroughly examined by a Bideawee veterinarian.

Information solicited from the animal's original owner initiates the adoptive "parents" in what to expect from their new pet. Is he a good watchdog? Is he fond of children? Is he housetrained? Does he tend to be destructive? What does he like to eat?

The answers to these questions often make adopting a Bideawee dog even easier than buying a pup since the new owner is spared much mystery about how his pet will develop and, often, much of the disappointment of adopting a pet for, say, a watchdog in the neighborhood or, what is worse, selecting a pup as a child's companion only to have it become an overly aggressive, intractable dog.

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Robert L. Nelson Dog Park: Dog Park Built For Human Accommodations

Most dog parks are built exclusively with dogs in mind. Of course this is a wonderful thing, but for those of you who are traveling through Indiana and would like to stop at a dog park that provides a comparable setting for its human visitors, look no further than the Robert L. Nelson Dog Park.

This facility is located in the northern part of Indiana. There is a huge pavilion built with an A-line roof that shades its guests from the hot sun or rainy weather. There are plenty of comfortable chairs and tables to relax in while you watch your dog play outside in safety, protected by a fenced-in area. Robert L. Nelson Dog Park is located at 60376 C.R. 13, Goshen, Ind.

Friends Forever Dog Park: Best Dog Park For Agility Exercise

Located throughout 9 acres of beautiful real estate, the Friends Forever Dog Park provides everything that an athletic dog needs for both physical and mental stimulation. The facility is located in the northern part of Illinois and even comes complete with a dog pool to keep your pet wet and comfortable during the hot summer months.

The agility equipment and exercise platforms were built specifically for dogs that enjoy the challenge of vigorous play. They consist of dog walks, jumps, weave poles, and an A-frame. The Friends Forever Dog Park is located at 966 Rudy Road, Freeport, ILL.

Kenton Paw Park: Amazing Dog Owner Workshops

What makes Kenton Paw Park so unique amongst the hundreds of other dog parks across the United States of America is the fact that this facility hosts workshops designed to educate dog owners with training and socialization for their pets. In fact, the dog park was built with socialization training at the top of the list.

Located in the state of Kentucky, this park has a full schedule of calendar events that teach dog owners everything from basic dog training techniques to fun games to play with your dog. The park even hosts dinner events and pool parties. And all of these popular classes that are taught to dog owners are hosted by three local veterinarians whom donate their time. You can find Kenton Paw Park at 3950 Madison Pike, Covington, Ky.

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There are hundreds of dog training books that can be found in libraries, bookstores, and on the Internet. Most of them are just fine and teach thorough, positive training methods. But I have yet to see any of them that make a point of stressing the fact that dogs are living, breathing beings that have emotions, feelings, and unique personalities.

You can have two Labrador Retrievers that, emotionally, may be as different between each each as a Rottweiler would be to a Pomeranian. The training protocol and corrections for one dog may not be necessarily suited to the character and personality of the other.

A suitable training correction for a dog that has an outgoing personality and is on the stubborn side may cause trauma to a dog that is naturally sensitive and cannot emotionally handle such dog training tactics, even if both dogs are the exact same breed.

Professional Obedience & Dog Breed Clubs

You'll find many clubs devoted to specific breeds and training groups all around the country. They are considered to be the most reliable and educated people to go to for training and specific breed information. For the vast majority of information, this is probably true, but some are are also guilty at assuming all dogs of the same breed should be trained and treated in the exact same manner.

The blame should rest upon whomever is running the group. However, choosing this leader is typically nothing more than a personality contest instead of their education and training history with canines. Criterion for the selection usually boils down to whomever is the most persuasive speaker, has had the longest membership, or even how bad the person wants the job.

There was one group who selected the lead trainer and spokesperson solely based on the fact that she had the best working dog the year before. There ware no requirements about success in the dog training area.

Another group had a specific opening for just "trainer" and the only requirement was that they had to have worked their own dog up to receive the Companion Dog Title. What training methods that person used, or whether or not it was positive or aggressive, had no bearing on the position. Pretty important stuff if you ask me, right?

Investigate Before Allowing Your Dog To Be Trained By Such A Group

If you are considering paying for dog training lessons with a specific group, even if the group is nationally recognized, asked the same questions you would from any dog trainer:

1. What are his or her references?
2. How many dogs have the trained?
3. Where did they get their knowledge and training advice from?
4. Do they admit that no 2 dogs are alike, even from the same breed type?
5. Do they use harsh training methods?

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When you let your puppy roam free outside on the property, it is essential that you keep the little guy enclosed in some form or fashion. And if you cannot fence the dog inside, then at least leash your dog up. This will prevent him from wandering off and getting hurt by an other animal or a moving vehicle.

If you are in search of purchasing an enclosure such as a dog pen or a tie out, here are a few research tips to help you choose the appropriate security item which would suit your dog and landscape best.

Start by asking your self the following 3 questions:

1. Based on how well you know your dog, what type of personality does he have and how well does he handle being confined? Is he the type of dog that will try to escape knowing that he cannot get past a certain barrier mark?

2. When you have an enclosure put up outside, how do you plan on using it when confining your dog? In other words, will you be by your dog's side at all times when he is out or do you plan on using the fenced in area or tie out as a way to keep him secure when you're not at home?

3. Based on your dog's temperament, are you aware of what type of confinement his personality will allow without creating chaos for your pet? Using a secured lead may create anxiety. A fenced in area that is too small may also be a negative experience for your dog.

Can't I just train my dog to stay on the property without a security fence or leash?

This is a big mistake. Initially when your young puppy is new to the outside world and is just getting used to the fact that he can play around the yard, letting him loose without any security is a dangerous choice. Your dog may not understand what his boundaries are and end up wandering off into danger or being fatally injured from traffic.

Not only is safety an issue here, but the fact of the matter is that it is virtually impossible to train a puppy to stay on a certain area of land at such a young age, especially if there are other houses, sidewalks, and streets nearby. Yes, some breed types can be trained, but to successfully train a dog to stay within certain confines of your property without a fence or leash takes a specific type of dog temperament.

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Males Vs. Females

One of the biggest myths surrounding those tacky brown spots appearing in the yard is that this is a female-dog-only issue. But this is not true. The female dogs just get a bad rap because they squat and completely empty their bladders in one location, effectively dropping a huge concentrated load of nitrogen in one area.

Male dogs tend to spread the wealth all over the backyard when they hike up their legs in multiple locations. Depending on how and where your male dog urinates, however, you could have just as much of a lawn-burn problem as a female dog owner. Besides, males puppies and many young male dogs also squat when they urinate.

It's Not Always The Urine

Not all brown spots in the yard are caused by dog urine. You can tell the difference because if the dead grass is from urine it will be a fairly regular, round shape. If the brown patches are irregularly shaped or you find that the brown areas are appearing in areas of the yard where the dogs don't urinate, it's possible that these dead areas are due to one of any number of diseases or pests that are scouring the lawn.

If you suspect that something other than your dog is responsible for the browning of your lawn, consult with your local agriculture extension office to find the culprit. This organization is staffed by experts on the matter.

Super Green Patches Of Grass

Not all dog urine will burn grass. In fact, some dog urine has a "greening" effect on the yard, causing greener-than-normal patches of grass.

Why does this happen? You will find that if you have a young puppy that is ripe in his growing years then his urine may tend to be dilute, due to the high metabolism during growth stages.

Older dogs may also cause green patches of grass instead of brown. The senior dog's urine is also less concentrated, however, this is typically due to disease and the dog's specific prescription diet.

Although these green bursts of color on the grass are certainly appreciated, if for any reason other than owning a puppy you notice this happening on your lawn instead of brown spots, contact a veterinarian and have your pet seen. The problem could be dangerous to your dog's health.

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If All Else Fails, Defend Yourself!

If you have observed all the general rules and precautions and still find yourself in the position of being attacked by a strange dog, your best defense is to shield your face and neck with your arms, exposing only the side of your body to the dog. Your actions should only be that of defense.

You should yell and make the most harrowing, alarming sound possible with your voice. Keep in mind that a dog does not trust anything that he doesn't understand. You can confuse his current thought process by making strange, eerie noises, while at the same time calling for help with your cries.

Try To Keep The Dog Off Balance

Raising your knee to keep the dog off balance can help protect you against serious injuries. I have encountered a great example of this technique one day as a large German Shepherd bolted through an unlocked screen door. The object of the dog's attack was a new mailman on his way to the mailbox.

Shielding his face and neck with his arms, the mailman cut loose with strange, ghastly sounds. The sounds stopped the German Shepherd cold in his tracks, created attention to every neighbor on the block, and the postman came out of the scene unharmed.

Talking with the mailman later, he admitted never having used the dog repellent spray that many mailmen carry with them for protection. He confessed that he has more confidence in his own method.

Some occupations have a high incidence of dog bites. Among the more noted of these are the mailman, meter readers, newspaper deliverers, pizza deliverers, solicitors, and trash collectors. Classified with the higher-risks would be the solicitors, or the door-to-door salesmen. If people who are in these occupations had a better understanding of what makes a dog bite, the incidence would be greatly reduced, maybe even completely eliminated. Children also suffer a high incidence rate because they panic, run, or force their attention on the dog.

So whether you are confronted with the protective biter or the fear biter, keep in mind the most important things: Let the dog come to you, at his own pace. Never force yourself on him, thinking that he'll know right away that you are not a threat. Meet him on his level. Kneel down to his size and extend your arm with the back of your palm exposed for him to sniff. Let the dog take all the time he wants to decide whether or not to be your friend. When you are face-to-face with a strange dog, that investment in time can play a crucial role toward your safety.

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Question:

"A friend of mine gave me a mixed pup that she was unable to keep. He's over a year old now. He was about 7 months old when she got him and had been a bit bullied by the other dogs in the kennel. When she got him home she had a great deal of difficulty with trying to housebreak him, as she was gone most of the time. She also had another small dog from January to June, during which time she underwent a divorce. Then "Spuds" (the new dog) was left almost totally alone during the entire summer.

What I am wondering is how to get my own dog to adjust to Tiger. The dog training books are full of virtually no help in obtaining information on dogs (and cats - I have one of those, too) adjusting to each other.

How do I get them to eat their own food? Also, the new dog drinks water and drips all over the floor. What do I do about sleeping quarters? The other two have been used to sleeping with me. And how do I get them to go potty outside and to tell me when he wants to?"

Our Answer:

There are virtually no guaranteed methods of inducing individual dogs and/or cats to tolerate each other. Just like people, some will never get along well, however, most at least become mutually tolerant if given enough time. Typically, a dominance order must be established, and this may involve a few non-violent "skirmishes" between the animals.

In reference to the food bowl problem, this is quite common, even in animals which have established friendly relationships. During a meal (often several times during a given meal), the dominant individual will horn in on another individual who in turn may move over to the vacated bowl or attempt to separate a third party from his bowl.

The best solution for this kind of problem is not to decide who should eat from what bowl and when. Let them decide - and if someone is getting less than he needs (or more), simply feed them in separate rooms.

About the sloppy water drinking, unfortunately this is just a bad habit which is virtually impossible to correct.

In regards to sleeping quarters, where do you want the new dog to sleep? If you find two dogs and a cat in your bed mutually tolerable, then fine. However, I've known a number of dogs that were not particularly cozy with their owners at bed time, and suffered no psychological problems.

Housebreaking requires patience and perseverance. Although several techniques are outlined in many dog training books, the one "best" method seems to be frequent trips outside, especially after eating, and gentle (but firm) reprimands for "accidents", which should be immediately followed with a trip outside to the potty area.

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Years later, in a small town in Texas, a puppy from a litter of 4 died, which was later found to be directly attributed to a flea collar device. The stricken puppy, however, had never worn such a collar - he had chewed on one from another house dog.

And in New Jersey, an entire litter of puppies, 6 weeks old, succumbed to what was later determined to be caused from a flea collar. Yet, not one of the puppies in the litter had ever worn such a device.

In each of the above true cases, the attending veterinarian reported that the deaths were needless and could have been prevented if a few simple facts have been known by the owners of those dogs. Moreover, veterinarians agree that literally 100% of the fatalities which do occur as a result of flea killing devices could be prevented.

It is commonly known that heavy infestation of fleas and ticks contribute to death and disease. It is also known that more deaths and sicknesses are caused by fleas and ticks than are caused by flea killing devices. The sad part of it is that no deaths or severe illnesses should ever be attributed to flea collars.

Flea collars and the newer flea control medications can actually prevent deaths and sickness if but a few basic facts are known, and adhered to, by all dog owners.

In a recent poll which questioned a large section of dog owners across the United States, more than 90% believe that their dog's flea collar merely emitted some kind of protective vapor that was repugnant to fleas and ticks, resulting in the pests dying off, due to the lethal vapor, yet without any repercussions on the dog's health.

The fact is, the pesticide in any flea collar device doesn't just seep through the animal's fur as a "protective vapor." Rather, it is absorbed into the bloodstream and metabolized by the liver. This has a strong effect on the animal's entire system. The active ingredient in such devices is usually dimethyl phosphate. Used according to directions, and in proper quantities, this ingredient is fatal to fleas and ticks.

Serious problems can occur when a dog owner simply places such flea killing devices around their dog's neck without taking the time to read the accompanying directions. Many times, though the directions are read, they simply are not taken seriously, nor are they followed.

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Get Eye-To-Eye With The Dog

The best way is to stop and kneel down so that you will be on his same level. You won't give the appearance of being a giant and you will help to lessen some of the possible causes of the dog's fear. The fear biter will then apply3 senses that nature has provided him: His ears, his eyes, and the most important one of the three - his nose.

If you take the time to talk in a quiet, friendly, yet enthusiastic tone, he will be able to hear by your voice that you are neither aggressive nor angry. With his eyes, he can see that you are not walking toward him, and that you have knelt to his level. If you are carrying anything in your hands, like a bag, books, etc., you need to lay them on the ground for a moment. The fear biter may confuse these objects as possible weapons.

His third defense mechanism is his sense of smell. He will use this sense to pass judgment on you. The best thing you can do is to let him approach you, with his own time, and at his own speed. He will cautiously and slowly make his way to you. You can make it easier for the dog if you extend the back of your hand for him to smell.

Some people offer the palm of their hand, which is not a wise thing to do. If the dog has ever been struck, chances are it has been hit with an open hand. An open hand, therefore, signifies a weapon. Extend the back of your hand, below his eyes and never above his head.

When strange dogs meet on the street, they obligingly stand for scent identification. You should do the same when approaching strange dogs. After the fear biter has examined your scent and comes to the conclusion that he's not in any danger from you, he will normally back off and allow you to proceed, provided that you keep a safe distance from him. His agenda is not to bite or have a confrontation with you. Keep in mind that he's the one that's scared here.

Stay Calm

Do not give the impression that you are scared, even if you are. On the other hand, be careful not to show authority or dominance. Instead, let him know that you are willing to be his friend if that's the way he wants the relationship to go. If he doesn't accept your offer of friendship by showing your outstretched hand, at least he knows that he has nothing to fear from you.

Remember to let him come to you, not the other way around. If he doesn't come, that's fine too, just make sure that whatever movement you make, it is casual and slow. As you get up, continue talking in a friendly, gentle manner. Never force your attention on a dog that's unwilling to come to you.

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At the collector's discretion, one other coin could be added to the three mentioned before. This would be the fifty cent value of the Canadian Centennial Commemorative coin series of 1967. It features the majestic timber wolf, head raised to the sky in a call to his mate. One's imagination can almost hear his eerie call.

Although we have said there are only three modern coins (or maybe four) that topically feature the dog in their designs, this number can be greatly increased if year dates are considered.

The Norwegian and Irish coins have been re-issued each year with only the year date being unchanged. Therefore, there would be about twelve varieties of the Elkhound coin and fifteen to twenty of the Wolfhound which was also minted in both nickel and copper metals.

Any dog fancier with a collector's eye will undoubtedly want to obtain an example of these coins if for nothing more than a conversation piece. Coin collectors may want to go further and work to complete a whole new set. For those who are unfamiliar with coin collecting, there are a few easy steps to follow in getting started:

1. The public library will usually have at least one book on coin collection (typically more) that you can research for a bit of background information.

2. Try to find a coin collector in your area. Most will usually help out a beginner and if you are lucky then he or she might also be a fan of dog coins.

3. Look through the Yellow Pages for a coin dealer. They can give you a lot of good advice and put you in contact with other dealers who may have the coins you need.

4. Try your local magazine stand for a coin magazine. These will contain advertisements of dealers throughout the country giving their specialties.

After obtaining a few coins, you will want to display them. The current fad of interior decorating with small grouped pictures fits nicely with displaying a small collection.

For those that would like to take their coins to shows, and believe me, they do cause attention, there are clear plastic pockets available which will hold individual coins allowing a clear view while still giving protection.

Hopefully, in the future, a more fitting tribute will be paid to the dog through the coinage of the nations in the world.

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