The Duke of Gordon is known as the founding father of the Gordon Setter breed, although the dogs were known throughout Scotland and England as early as the 16th century. In the United States the Gordon Setter was entered into the A.K.C. registry in 1892. This beautiful and flashy bird dog, a hunter of pheasants, quail and other game birds, still retains a strong birdsense . In the modern world they are also adept at obedience and agility and of course are well known in the conformation ring.

Like all the hunting dogs with strong instinct, the Gordon is a dog that will thrive on plenty of exercise and chances to explore. They are not safe unless in a fenced in area or on supervised walks, as they investigate their environment with their noses and following the trail of a squirrel is second nature to them!

The Gordon Setter Club of America mentions three medical conditions which Gordon owners should be aware of. Like many of the deep chested breeds, the Gordon Setter is susceptible to Gastric torsion or bloat, which is life threatening. Also hip and elbow dysplasia can be a problem, as well as thyroid deficiency.

The Gordon Setter weighs between 50-80 pounds and is between 23-26 inches in height. This is a dog with moderate bone and should be of moderate size, as being overly large in the field is not an advantage to a hunting dog. The coat is similar in nature to that of the flat coat retriever, being a coat which lies close to the body and being slightly wavy and feathered on the legs, ears, tail and underbelly. The Gordon has a tail that is constantly wagging and in motion this tail is carried out and proudly waving as he gaits. The color of the Gordon setter is a major consideration as it follows a specific rule which can deviate very little. The dog is black with rich tan or red chestnut markings over the eyes, around the muzzle, on the throat, chest and insides of the hind legs and on the forelegs. Any other color is not eligible to compete in the show ring and should not be used for breeding.

The Gordon Setter is a fun loving and highly enthusiastic dog. They are puppies until at least the age of two, seeming to have boundless energy and enthusiasm. This is a dog which needs consistent training. However they are not considered hard headed and they do need to have a gentle but firm master. Once trained in obedience, the dog will respond well to his family and is a loyal and intensely affectionate companion. He is a dog which needs one owner or one family and does not often make overtures to strangers, being aloof but not aggressive by nature. They do not make good kennel dogs, as they are needy of human companionship. Gordon Setters are protective of children and will tolerate much from their young charges.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Dogs

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Natural preventative pet care isn’t a new thing but it certainly isn’t fully mainstream yet. One of the challenges is being able to re-educate the public to think outside of the box. For so many years we’ve been told over and over again by traditional care providers that our pets need yearly vaccinations, prevention medicines for heartworm, fleas, and ticks, and feeding premium kibble. We’ve been told these will all lead to ultimate wellness in our pets. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While we continue to struggle with conquering the mountain of alternative care is for new age, crystal toting, chanting hippies, our pets are getting sicker rather than healthier. One of the most challenging problems on the rise is super resistant bacteria that are increasingly resistant to the traditional use of antibiotics. Most notably is the rise of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). This is a staph infection that the antibiotic methicillin can no longer kill. MRSA is passed from humans to pets and it is still mutating into strains in different species animals. Horses have developed their own strain and antibiotics are not the answer! In fact, the overuse of antibiotics is part of the main reason that these bacteria have mutated and evolved.

This staph infection is deadly and can and does kill humans and animals. In fact, this very thing happened to Jill Moss’ most beloved white Samoyed, Bella. Jill lost Bella to this staph infection a little over a year ago. It prompted Jill to take serious action and bring the knowledge of this deadly strain of bacteria to the world so that other pet owners and people would not have to suffer the loss she has. Jill has instituted the Bella Moss Foundation (http://www.TheBellaMossFoundation.com ) and Pets-MRSA (http://www.Pets-MRSA.com ) to help bring not only knowledge about MRSA, but hope, help and healing.

Research has already begun on finding ways to stop these virulent bacteria. Scientists at the University of Manchester in England have found that three essential oils destroyed MRSA! Dr. Peter Warn, who was involved in the research, told the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) back in December of 2004 that when he tested the oils in the lab, absolutely nothing grew. Rather than stimulating bacteria and fungi, the oils killed them off.

One diligent product formulator for a therapeutic essential oils company discovered that two of the oils used were Melaleuca alternafolia and geranium.

So why are essential oils proving so effective at killing even the most virulent bacteria such as MRSA? According to Jacqui Stringer, the Clinical Lead of Complementary Therapies at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, England which treats cancer patients, the reason that essential oils are so effective is because they are made up of a complex mixture of chemical compounds which super bugs such as MRSA find difficult to resist. I would add that because these compounds are naturally occurring and derived from plants the blood of plants no two oils are exactly alike ever, which is the perfect complex compound to combat a mutating super bug! Current treatments, according to Stringer, are made up of single compounds (like antibiotics) so the MRSA becomes resistant very quickly and leaving only 50% success in the cases of MRSA. Think about that: only a 50/50 chance of survival. Those are not good odds. The hope comes with this new alternative approach to battling these superbugs.

Another added benefit of using essential oils to combat and help prevent (prevention is the goal in stopping MRSA) the spread of MRSA is the application: inhaled either directly or by diffusing them. MRSA is often carried inside the nose so inhaling the essential oils is all that is needed to prevent patients being at risk. This makes them very easy to administer to both humans and pets.

The biggest deterrent to progressing further in the research with the essential oils and combating these superbugs has been funding. In January 2005, the Manchester researchers were having problems obtaining the 30,000 needed for their research to continue. Shortly after finding out about this, Jimmy Savile the former host of the British television program ‘Jim’ll Fix It, has donated 40,000 for the research to continue! The problem with the funding was that since essential oils are naturally occurring as I stated above, drug companies are really not interested in helping this type of work because they can’t profit from a product that is naturally occurring since they can’t be patented.

This is really reprehensible since this kind of research could potentially help save thousands of lives and completely stamp out MRSA.

I for one am very excited to see more and more research being done in bringing healing and hope to many, using what God created for us to use in the first place!

News article references:

http://www.irishhealth.com/?level=4&id=6820
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4116053.stm
http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/medizingesundheit/bericht-38150.html
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=6975
http://nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=56962&n=dh357&c=GICenlwpeazyefa
http://tahilla.typepad.com/mrsawatch/mrsawoundsessentialoils/
http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=56957-essential-oils-in
http://www.media52.net/archives/000199.html
http://www.courant.com/classified/custom/pets/petworld/hc-cl-pets-0608,0,3927853.story
http://quikonnex.com/channel/item/14556

DISCLAIMER: The only oils we use and refer to in ALL articles are Young Living Essential Oils. We DO NOT use any other brand and would not state what we do about using essential about any other brands.

About the Author:

Kim Bloomer is a natural pet care educator helping pet owners learn alternative and natural ways to care for their pets. To learn more about the essential oils visit her pet care & supply website at Aspenbloom Pet Care. Visit her dog’s blog to learn more about caring for pets naturally from a canine perspective at A Dog’s View

Kim is now a USA Representative for the Bella Moss Foundation.

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Animals make the headlines today for many reasons. The problem is that animals tend to make the news for the horrible and unthinkable things that happen to them. In every state across the United States and every country across the globe atrocities happen to animals great and small everyday. We have covered news stories involving dogs and cats as well as assorted types of animals being stared to death, beaten to death, burned with acid, inhumanely executed in addition to countless other ways. We have written stories about animals that were killed for the fun of it by the sickest of individuals and by accident by the ones who loved them the most. But, with all of the negative headlines that animals are involved in, there are a number of animals that make the news for wonderful, heartwarming and humorous reasons.

Many dogs and cats can says that their owners would not be alive if it weren’t for them. Dogs and cats have called the police when their owners were in trouble and in need of medical help, dogs have waken the owners up to let them know there was a fire in the house and still others have been the driving force behind helpful laws being enacted to help make the world a better place to live. Below I have placed one of my favorite articles I have written which highights one of the many happy reasons an animal has made the news. I hope that you enjoy it.

Black Labrador Honored as Katrina Hero

At the annual Genesis Awards, hosted by the Humane Society, a black Labrador now called Katrina was honored for her life saving efforts. A New Orleans man who was in trapped in flood waters after the hurricane recalled how the dog helped to get him to higher ground, without her he surely would have drowned. The awards dinner attended by leading animal rights activists granted the dog a standing ovation. Katrina was rescued from a shelter after the mans story was reported on a local Los Angeles TV station.

Yes, animals have certainly solidified their position in the world today for both the good, as seen above, and the bad. Join us as we explore the world of animal news one day at a time.

For more information about dogs or to speak to fellow dog lovers on our pet forum, visit http://www.spectacularpets.com

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Dogs have inherent wild characteristics, often being aggressive and barking unnecessarily. Some dog owners are frustrated with the situation and frequently smack their dog or banish it to the backyard. However, treating pets in such a way conjures an image of terror in their minds, and they start fearing their owner. All this can be avoided in the first place through proper dog training.

Dog training refers to training your dog to be obedient, adhering to all your commands in a jovial manner. A dog is a mans faithful companion that saying can only be true with proper dog training.

Dog training can be accomplished at your residence, in dog training classes, or with the aid of a private trainer. Its a slow and steady process and expecting instant results is akin to being unrealistic. Dog training requires a collar, leash, an awful lot of patience, and a tender attitude towards your dog. Training needs to be a fun-filled, exhilarating experience for your dog. You should mingle training exercises with intermittent treats and praises when your dog behaves in the desired way. This way you could easily train your dog for the common commands, such as sit, stay and come.

A crucial aspect of dog training is to instill good eating habits. Fix up a few time slots in the day when you would feed your dog. This way it wont have to beg at the dining table or meander around for leftovers. Your dog should be trained not to pull the leash while on a casual stroll. A simple yank of the leash followed by a proper voice command is enough to accomplish the same. The dog should also be trained to stand still, since this allows an easy examination by a veterinarian and a trouble-free grooming session with a dog groomer.

You might face a few problems while training your dog. The ease of dog training depends largely on the nature of the dog, which varies from one of docility to one of obstinacy. While some dogs respond to tenderness and coaxing, others may not even heed to a firm command. Some are quick learners while others grasp things quite slowly. If you are faced with a hapless situation training your dog, you may consult a professional dog trainer. However, it is recommended that you carry out a preliminary research prior to choosing a particular trainer for your dog.

Niall Kennedy is a lifelong dog lover and has worked in several pet sanctuaries. Best Pet Health Information is a resource that brings you dog training supplies. http://www.Best-Pet-Health.info. Dog News Center – Dog Article Directory – Submit Your Articles Now

Copyright Best-Pet-Health.info All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

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Dogs thrive on positive direction and are extremely social animals. Over the years, the breeds have been protected and perfected. The outcome is a breed who have a deep foundation within the respectful human dog relationship. This is why the respected relationship is the most significant factor between pet and pet owner. As such, a good relationship between dog and man is built on trust and honor.

In such a relationship the dog is guided and not pushed to understanding himself naturally. By doing this, a pet owner is committing themself into truly understanding who the dog species really is. This is first developed by understanding the dog and its history.

Within a dogs pack are its inner circle of friends. This consists of both human, the pet owner and family, and dogs, either friend or sibling. We know this because all dogs are derived from the wolf, who are social-pack animals. By understanding and studying the wolf, we gain a deeper knowledge of the dog’s human relationship; where the canine views those humans he lives with as pack members. By recognizing and understanding this simple yet crucial fact you now understand and know 95% more about the true dog than the average pet owner. This will lead to the best possible training of a puppy through the inclusion of the dog in the pack and naturally developing a pecking order with your dog.

What about the alpha dog? Is this for real or is it another dog myth? By all scientific documentation the alpha male is for real and is a common fact. All wolf packs have an alpha male that can be seen as the head boss. They can take on single or multiple roles depending on each pack that can be: leadership, setlling fights between pack members, dictator, etc… All other wolves look to the alpha male dog for leadership and guidance and therefore create a stable family pack relationship. If you’ve got a dog who hasn’t be trained properly and is the alpha of your house a change is needed. There should be no question in your dog’s mind tha you are the alpha and he is the subordinate. You must present yourself as a leader starting with the first impression.

When dealing with your dog, an enormous amount of communication is sent through body language. One important way alphas command respect is with authority in their eye contact. Gentle looks will signify acceptance and stern dominant expressions will demand respect and compliance. This is done through various training techniques to aid the dog in establishing and making eye contact with its owner. Training in general should start the day the little puppy enters the world. Dog training should be a complete life experience for the dog focusing on the big picture and the human dog relationship. This is different than the basic sit, roll over, shake, stay and find commands and requires much more than breaking a dog through disciplinary actions and reward systems. When the inner pack relationship is established between owner and dog, an unbreakable and non-duplicated bond is formed. This bond is not done justice with words but is known by many pet owners throughtout our world.

Is Your Doggy Decor In Style?

MyPetSupplyOnline.com was created with a single purpose in mind to deliver to the customer quality pet products at a desirable price. At MyPetSupplyOnline.com we love animals. Just like us, our customers are pet lovers, not just pet owners. We have tried to find the most in style and best supplies for our pets and want to make them accessible to every pet owner. MyPetSupplyOnline.com represents the most convenient and practical way to purchase quality pet products online.

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