| 2 beagles bring out my maternal instincts
I became a big fan of beagles when I fell in love with my husband's beagle mix Spike while we were dating. He was such a friendly dog who continues to live in our hearts. Being the researcher I am, I had to find all the information I could about beagles. They are part of the hound family and are used in hunting and in tracking animals such as rabbits. They go wherever their noses take them and are considered very noisy. The breed can grow to about 15 inches tall. Their weight usually ranges from 10 to 20 pounds. Their colors are usually a combination of white, cream, black and brown. Beagles are considered to be very high-energy dogs who are also very social. They love to eat and are always searching for food. Beagles are also very stubborn with a short attention span, which is why training can be a challenge and can take a lot of patience.
Snakes not charming to dogs
This is the most dangerous time of year for dog owners who love to take their dogs for hikes on secluded trails or gun dog owners whose pet is also their hunting companion. It's rattlesnake time, when rattlers are showing more and more as the weather heats up. And any dog owner who has ever paid a veterinarian bill for a rattlesnake-bitten dog knows this can also be a costly time of year. Vet bills can run between $700 and $2,000 for a snake bite. "Dogs need to know that if they see a snake, it can hurt them," said Tracy Jenson-Presson, who trains both pets and hunting dogs on her High On Kennels in Mesa Grande and specializes in snake-avoidance training. "It's a conditioned response, and they can be conditioned to avoid snakes." Jenson-Presson uses live rattlesnakes in her training sessions.
The Clicker Understands Why People Love The Dog
Last year, shortly after the arrest of Reality-TV star Duane The Dog Chapman, we ran a story on the outpouring of support that Dog and the Chapmans were getting from fans of the show. Having not seen an episode of the series, I was amazed at how many people were extending their support, prayers and money to Dog and his family. Arent the Chapmans just another reality-TV family? Why are people so distraught over his arrest? As I learned more about the circumstances of the arrest, things became a little clearer but it wasnt until I started watching the series that I truly began to understand why people love The Dog. Dog, his son Leland and blood brother, Tim were arrested in September of 2006 for illegally capturing convicted rapist, Andrew Luster. Luster, heir to the Max Factor fortune, was wanted for the rape of a number of women.
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