Once you make your choice and decide on who will treat your pet, you can then leave it up to common sence and your gut feeling to see if your are comfortable with this medical provider. If you have any doubts, you can go back to the drawing board and look for another choice. The end result is you must feel confident in your Veterinarians ability because the day will eventually come when you dog or cat goes into the animal hospital for more that just booster shots or getting his nails trimmed. This is when every ounce of your Veterinarians experience and skill will be required to help your beloved pet.

• Do not leave your pet unattended in your vehicle. This is the biggest of all blunders.
• Do not allow your dog to be unattended in your yard for any length of time.
• Micro Chip your pet.
• Do not allow your dog to run loose.

Remember, it only takes the matter of several seconds to steal your dog or cat. Underestimating  a thief  could be the biggest mistake you could make. Your pet depends on you to make the correct decisions when it depends on his safety and well being. It is up to you to become a good Watch Dog.

Water should always be readily available at all times and the use of a “Cool Coat” can be used to help keep your dog cool. Another handy and effective cooling tool is a pump spray bottle. You can spray your dog down from head to tail to keep him cool and out of trouble. If your dog does overheat and appears to be suffering from heat exhaustion, the fastest way to cool him down is with the garden hose. Lightly sprinkle your dog from head to tail slowly so that it does not create a shocking effect and then you can use more pressure as you go along. It is also very important to keep your dog out of direct sunlight on hot days. It is the direct sunlight that is the prime culprit when a dog suffers from the heat. A little common sense goes a long way when you are protecting your best friend from those dog days of summer.

Showing your dog can be very rewarding , but it also requires a lot of dedication and work involved to be successful. The first step is careful consideration to make sure you have enough time to invest in training your dog and the necessary time required to go to the good shows. Also, dog shows are normally run on weekends sometimes beginning on a Thursday or Friday and then ending on Sunday. You have to also consider the time involved to travel to the dog show which very likely will be located in another state from where you live. If you enjoy spending time with your dog, the time consumption should not normally become a problem.

The next important step is locating a show grade dog in the breed of your choice that will be qualified to compete  against large number of show dogs that will be coming from all over the U.S. to compete. You should take your time and do some careful research when searching for a first class breeder that will be able to fill your request for that very special dog you are searching for. One of the best ways to find this breeder is to talk to the owners of some of the successful show dogs in order to get some valuable referrals. This is where asking a lot of questions and doing your homework can really pay off.

My dog Skip shown in the photograph comes from Bruda Doberman Pinschers from Deer Grove, Illinois. Bruda Doberman is owned and operated by Sandy Hunter who happens to have over 40 years experience breeding Doberman Pinschers, especially for the show circuit. Her level of experience and knowledge of the breed comes second to none. The Bruda bloodline has produced a vast number of champions including Westminster winners. There are a number of highly recommended Doberman breeders in the United States, but you will find that Sandy’s operation will be an extremely good choice.

Your dog’s handler is also going to be a very important decision you will have to make. Your dog’s performance and success in the ring will only be as good as your handler. Skip is handled by Tina Harbert of Spring Arbor, Michigan. Tina is an AKC Registered Handler and is considered one of the very best in the business. Tina uses the finest equipment to transport her clients dogs to the shows. Her specially designed truck is equipped with central air conditioning and heat along with an “Hot Dog” alarm that would activate her pager if for some reason the interior temperature goes over a pre-set temperature. She is an expert Doberman handler along with many other popular breeds.