All puppies are cute

With the holiday season fast approaching, the thought of getting that cute little puppy may have crossed your mind.  Before you make the big commitment of bringing a new puppy into your house here are a few things that you should consider:

*Time- What is your lifestyle? Will you have time to spend walking, playing with, & training a new puppy? Remember, once the puppy grows up you still need to commit time to exercise & to train it.

*Size- What size dog do you want? Remember size matters… you wouldn’t want to get a Great Dane or Mastiff if you live in an apartment or a smaller home.  Some people think that by getting a smaller dog they won’t need as much exercise.  This is not always true.  Some small dogs need just as much if not more exercise then larger dogs.

*Male or Female- Males are more likely to act aggressively towards other dogs, defend their territories, & try to be dominant over their owners, as well as mark territory and wander.  Females are more likely to demand more affection, are easier to house train & obedience train. There is really no difference in excitability, nervous or defensive barking between the two sexes.

*Purebred or Mix- With a purebred dog you know what you’re getting but have a higher chance of inherited disease. If you go with a mixed breed it will be less likely to suffer from inherited diseases but the final size, temperament & grooming requirements will be unknown.

*Activity level- What is your energy level? You want to make sure that the dog you pick doesn’t have more energy then you. If you would rather stay at home and watch TV on the couch then take a nice, long evening walk, than you probably would not want to get a Jack Russell Terrier.

*Good with kids- Do you have children or are you planning on having children in the next 10-12 years?  There are certain breeds that tend to do better with children than others, but there are always exceptions to this rule. No dog or breed of dog is 100 % trustworthy with children.

*Good with other dogs- If you have a dog now, you want to think if a new dog will make him or her happy. Is your current dog good at sharing? How will he or she feel about sharing your affection?

*Cost- How much is it going to cost to raise this puppy? You need to take into consideration the cost for food, vet bills (shots, spay/neuter, medications, etc.), toys, training, grooming, & boarding, just to name a few things. Remember that the cost doesn’t end once the puppy grows up. The average lifespan for a dog is 10-12 years.

Once you have made the decision to bring a new puppy into your home, make sure that you start in a good training program early.  The sooner you start training the earlier your puppy will be instilled with good behaviors.

On The Ball K9 Training LLC offers a puppy consultation to get you started off on the right paw with your new puppy.  The consultation covers things such as housebreaking, play biting, socialization skills, handling & grooming skills.  After the consultation you can continue your puppy’s education by enrolling in puppy preschool.

You will be on your way to having a happy & balanced dog

On The Ball K9 Training LLC offers FREE demonstrations and evaluations with your dog. To schedule your FREE demo or for more information on our programs,check out the website at www.ontheballk9.com

Here is a video I put together with some of the mushers participating on the 2009 Iditarod.  Enjoy!

Here are some new picture of some of the dogs that have been or are currently being trained by On The Ball K9 Training LLC. 

check out these dogs

Interested in training?  You can contact us at www.ontheballk9.com to schedule a FREE demonstration and evaluation with your dog!

   Place is a valuable command to teach your dog.  When you are eating dinner and don’t want your dog next to the table, you can send them to their ”place”.  If someone comes to the door and your dog wants to always greet them, you can send them to their ”place”. If you want to have a relaxing evening watching a movie without your dog on your lap, you can have them lay down on their “place”. 

Check out these dogs working on “place”.    Dogs on \”place\” 

Wanna teach your dog “place”?  Contact us for a FREE demonstration and evaluation with YOUR dog to get started!!  www.ontheballk9.com

So I was finally able to figure this slideshow thing out.  I will keep the pictures updated here so check back often Here are some new pictures of Dogs in Training. 

If you would like a well mannered dog, contact us to schedule a FREE demonstration and evaluation with YOUR dog!  www.ontheballk9.com

Modi and I returned to Anchorage from a 5 day trip to That’s My Dog in Hazel Green Wi for E-Collarpalooza 4.  Robin and her staff did a great job this year.  All of the speakers were great and I learned so much (as always).  I cant wait for next years E5.

Check us out on Facebook for updated pictures of our trip

With so many blogs out there these days it is hard to keep them all straight.  So I am going to share with you all the blogs that On The Ball K9 Training LLC is on.  First would the one you are reading now, wordpress.  This blog is probably the one that I try and keep updated the most.  Next would be My Space.  This blog is probably the second most updated one.  It is great to keep in contact with old & current friends!

The 2 newest blogs that we are on is Dogster under the name of Mason’s Modi, Major & Pilot & Dognamic.   

Here is some information about Dognamic (right from the website):

Dognamic the most advanced FREE social network for dogs & their owners. Join our digital dog park™ to make new friends, post pictures, upload videos, share stories, use forums, write blogs, sell products, post events, or browse members via the dog matrix™ by breed, color, age , location, and even mood. This is a free service that was designed so all dog owners around the world would have one place to share their love of their furry friends and have a support system if their dog became missing. In todays global economy, dognamic™ was created so dog owners and dog care takers could communicate with multiple tools to socialize and keep each other informed on issues like dog food, toys, treats, dog products, training, puppy care, medications and dog accessories. Hear real feedback and a pool of advice can be shared from others to make the life with our dogs the most eventful and longest available.Free dog amber alert™ system for dogs By dropping your dog amber alert™ into Missing Mode, all members within a set distance from your zip code will be notified via our dog amber alert™ ticker system running on every members page [like a news ticker on your TV set] and our sister site dogamberalert.com. As a member, you will be able to create a “virtual” Vflyer so if your dog becomes MISSING – members click on your dogs “MISSING Flyer” - print it out themselves and help with the search instantly. Our goal is to build the largest online social network of dogs in the world by developing the most advanced creative communications network available.

Check us out on all the blogs

OK so since the last post at the end of April, it snowed 2 1/2 feet, I went to Phoenix AZ to warm up for 18 days, & it still hasn’t warmed up yet.  Well OK, it has warmed up compared to what it was but it is still 50 degrees and windy!  When is it ever going to stop blowing?  I guess I can’t complain too much, at least it is not snowing!!

On The Ball K9 Training LLC has been busy helping people & their dogs live a happier, more balanced life.  We attended the Dog Day at the Park Strip on Sunday June 1, 2008 & watched the Alaska Dogs Gone Wild Flyball demonstration. We also visited the Scoop the Poop & Scooper Trooper booths & Modi got to play with her friend Klute.

We have also held a playtime at Arctic Tails Training Center.  This playtime is not a training session, it is just time for your dog to play and socialize with other dogs.  If you are interested in attending one of the play times, please contact me for dates and times.

If you are interested in training or would like more information about living a more balanced life with your canine companion, please feel free to contact us to schedule your FREE demonstration with YOUR dog!

On April 19, 2008 my husband and I along with some new friends walked in the MS walk here in Anchorage.  Our team, Team On The Ball K9, had a goal of $2000 to raise for this years walk.  Well we didnt raise as much as we had hoped for but we did raise over 64% of our goal.  The total amount raise for Team On The Ball K9 was $1271.00!!!!

We want to thank everyone who donated and helped us get one step closer to a cure.