Friday, November 28, 2008 

Classic Golf Holidays ?the Algarve

The Algarve, in Southern Portugal, with its year-round sunshine, miles of golden sand beaches, and picturesque villages, has become one of Europes most popular golfing destinations. But while there are many courses suiting all abilities, the Algarve is also perfect for non golfers, especially the eastern region around Tavira, with its stunning nature walks. At the other end of the scale, resorts such as Vilamoura and Vale do Lobo are mega destinations with all the golfing and sporting options you could want. Then, in Western Algarve, around the bustling holiday destination of Albufeira, you can holiday 24/7, combining championship golf with a hectic nightlife.

Western Algarve golf breaks

Besides bustling Albufeira, there is the charming old town of Lagos, set on one of the largest bays in the Algarve. Its 17th-century fort stands at the harbour entrance and a new marina with rows of excellent restaurants and bars draws the crowds. Alvor, an old port at the mouth of the Rio Alvor, has many traditional restaurants by the quay and a maze of cobbled streets lined with whitewashed houses, shops and a few bars.

Golf holidaymakers should check out the renowned Pinta, one of the best courses in the Algarve, designed to retain natural valleys and undulations. Neighbouring Gramacho is also excellent and both courses are free of green fees for those lucky enough to be staying at the Pestana Hotels.

Central Algarve offers golf and more

Quinta do Lago is a premier golfing destination. Two of its four excellent 18-hole courses are listed among the Europes top 25 golf courses, and half of the 2000-acre resort comprises a residential and recreational estate, surrounded by pine forests. This beautiful area is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Ria Formosa nature reserve. Nearby is a large shopping centre with a health club, nightclubs and restaurants, and scenic countryside runs along miles of secluded beaches.

Just 20 minutes?drive from Faro International Airport, Vilamoura is one of Europes largest sport and leisure complexes. There are five golf courses, championship tennis courts, an acclaimed riding school, and fishing and shooting facilities. The resorts large marina has many fine restaurants, cafes and shops.

Vale do Lobo, Portugals biggest luxury golf and beach resort, also 20 minutes from the airport at Faro, is one of Europes finest. Its two golf courses, the Royal and Ocean, provide stunning views of the coast, and its 5 km-long sandy beach, with dramatic red sandstone cliffs, provides non-golfers with seriously good beach and swimming options. The resort also offers tennis courts, a gymnasium and health and beauty centre, as well as restaurants and shops.

Eastern Algarve; golf tours without the crowds

For a less frenetic golfing experience and a chance to enjoy nature, head east from Faro towards the Spanish border. There are many hotels not far from the airport, close to some well-designed courses. Tavira, at the mouth of the River Gilao, is a fishing port dating from Moorish times. Nearby youll find Reserva do Sapal, one of Portugals most important nature reserves. And just across the border, on the Costa de la Luz, are many more great golf courses.

Rod Ritchie, a travel writer and editor, writes for many publishers including AA Publishing and Fodors. Bill Goff Golf Tours at http://www.billgoff.com and Longshot Golf Holidays at http://www.longshotgolf.co.uk offer great value golf breaks to all of the top resorts in the Algarve.

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Wednesday, November 26, 2008 

Herding and the German Shepherd Dog

Once other animals such as cattle, sheep and goats became domesticated, man became aware of the dogs herding ability. Tactics used by hunting wolves, witnessed by humans, such as driving and separating one animal from the flock, were further exploited and bred into these dogs. As in other dogs, the animals possessing the best inherent herding abilities were further developed to assist human shepherds in their daily duties.

As you know, German Shepherds fall into the Herding Category of dog breeds- the breed was derived in the late 1800s from several different types of herding stock.

As the breed gained popularity, it also gained new jobs?and duties as varied as can be possibly imagined- from work in the wars, search-and-rescue, tracking, police work, protection, to guide dog, companion dog and more. Still, some animals(GSDs) are used today actively as herding dogs.

Exactly what is involved in the process of herding? First, a willingness to work and to cooperate with others. In the wild wolves or wild dogs work as a unit when hunting prey and each animal may have a particular job?to fulfill in order to bring down the intended victim. Some may be following the prey while others attempt to head it off.

Still, another may be the pack leader who in essence coordinates the events of the hunt. Herding dogs now work essentially with a human as pack leader in attempting to control herds of livestock.

Herding dogs may have natural abilities and fall in one of two basic categories- either that of gatherer or driver. Drivers generally move the stock away from the handler while still grouped, while gatherers tend to head off stock, keep them grouped and move them toward the handler. Generally speaking, gatherers are more versatile than drivers and it is much easier to cross train a gatherer to drive than it is to cross train a driver to gather.

Overall, principles of herding are based on the dogs natural instincts though other training methods abound. First dogs must obey the handler and follow commands.

This, along with mutual trust and respect, are the most important aspects of the working relationship between the dog(s) and the handler. After being introduced to stock, the animals are taught to position themselves in relation to the handler and stock based on their job?and the direction in which the herd is to be moved. It is the handlers job to give the dog guidance in working the stock.

Later in training directional commands are learned by the animal in training. Most commands are in the form of verbal cues or whistles although visual commands may sometimes be involved as well. Possible commands may include easy?or steady?(move slowly), stop? down? or flanking commands such as move counterclockwise or clockwise around the herd. Once the dog masters the basic gathering commands it is taught to drive the herd and as it learns each lesson, it is taught other more difficult commands.

Qualities a good herding dog must possess are obedience, trainability, adaptiveness, good health, responsiveness and, most importantly, being able to use its own judgment. Standing up?to uncooperative stock or being gentle with cooperative stock are other qualities of utmost importance in an actual working herding dog.

Article written and reprinted with permission of: http://www.pedigreedpups.com/
Purebred Dogs, Puppies and Dog Breeders - "Your New Best Friend"

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

Debbie Ray, owner of http://www.pedigreedpups.com and http://www.total-german-shepherd.com, is a lifelong animal lover and dog enthusiast. Interested in more dog information? Training and health tips? Thinking about getting a purebred dog? Interested in the German Shepherd Dog in particular? Need to promote your dog related website and get additional in bound links? Check out pedigreedpups.com , total-german-shepherd.com or http://www.pedigreeddogs.com (purebred dog breed directory) for more information.

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Tuesday, November 18, 2008 

Separation Anxiety ?A Medical Condition That Could Be Causing Your Dogs Bad Behavior

Behavior problems are at the top of the list of unhappy dog owners. Each year dogs are abandoned, put out of their adapted homes, or put to sleep because of bad behavior. Destructiveness, excessive vocalization, and house soiling are the most common signs of separation anxiety. These bad habits occur when the dog is separated from its owner.

Dogs are considered pack animals, so they prefer to be part of a group, and have a pack leader?to follow and look up to. The dogs owner becomes the pack leader?in the eyes of the dog, and when the leader isnt there to follow, the dog feels abandoned. This abandonment leads to anxiety and frustration which the dog has to deal with, the only way he knows how, what we call bad behavior.

Positive indications of separation anxiety are bad behavior primarily when your dog is left alone, he follows you everywhere you go, he becomes overexcited when you return home, he becomes excited or depressed when you prepare to leave home, or if he dislikes being alone out of doors.

Separation anxiety is not due to disobedience or lack of training. It is an instinctive behavior and should not be punished. The key to treating this problem is to gradually train or condition your dog to get used to your absence. When you leave home or return home make it a low key event.

Begin by leaving your dog alone at home for only a few minutes for the first few days or so. Then gradually lengthen your leaves in the weeks ahead. Also you should try to very your leaves at different times of the day so as not to create a pattern or habit. To yelp ease his anxiety, you can leave your dog an article of clothing that has your scent on it.

Remember, you are attempting to break your dogs old habit of dependency on you, so you must develop new habits and condition your dog to accept them. It takes time, patience, and love, but in the end it is well worth the effort.

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed http://Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can shop for the latest dog collars, dog clothes, pet supplies and more. Check them out at http://www.joncopets.com

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Friday, November 14, 2008 

How to Photograph your Horse

A good photograph portrays your horse in his best possible light. A bad photograph, by contrast, draws attention to every fault, no matter how insignificant, and sometimes even exaggerates those faults!

Whether you are advertising your horse because he is for sale or advertising his recent show ring accomplishments, knowing how to photograph your horse correctly is a skill you must develop. If you derive income from your horses getting good photographs of them to put in front of the public is absolutely integral!

So, how do you take good photographs of your horse? Well, the first thing you should know is that it takes a little bit of practice. You shouldn't expect to load your camera, take a few rolls, and be Robert Vavra over night! However, if you follow the following tips you'll be shooting great pics of your horse in no time.

* Film matters! That's right, use good-quality film such as Kodak or Fuji, and you'll see it really does make a difference. If you are using a 35 mm format opt for 200 ASA. Going digital? The higher the pixels the better.

* Pick the right day. A bright day is good, but pick a day that isn't too sunny. Too much sun will create dark shadows, and can be particularly problematic if you are shooting a dark horse. If you have no choice but to shoot on a sunny day, use a flash to eliminate shadows. It sounds counterintuitive, but it really does work!

* Prepare your horse. Now I know you are not going to stand him up hairy and dirty, but in addition to good grooming you might want to take some extra steps to ensure your horse looks his best. If appropriate to the discipline in which he participates, braid his mane and oil his hooves. Make sure his coat and his tail are shiny and well-brushed.

* Pick a uncluttered background. A natural background such as a field, woodland, or pasture is a good choice. The barnyard or driveway, no matter how neat and clean, is not a great choice because of the stuff that is bound to be in the background. You want the viewer to be wowed by your horse, not your new Cadillac Escalade. Look at the details before you click! Sounds crazy, but how many amateur photographs have you seen that depict horses with pitchforks growing out of their heads? As improbably as it sounds, I bet at least one, right? It bears repeatingcheck the background!

* Make sure tack is clean. If you photograph your horse in his bridle or saddle, make sure that both have been recently scrubbed. For that matter, anything your horse wears in a photo should be squeaky clean. That goes for the rider and handler, too!

* Enlist the help of a knowledgeable horse person. You can't take pictures and position the horse too, so you'll need some help. It's best if the person who helps you knows how to pose a horse to his best advantage.

* The angle and position of the horse are key. For a full body shot, stand the horse with both front legs together and one hind leg slightly behind the other. To minimize parts looking too large or too small, focus on the middle of the horse, and do not shoot from too high or too low. Make sure the horse looks alert with bright eyes and both ears forward. Horse not cooperating? Have a friend make some noise (outside the frame, of course!) to get your horse's attention.

* Get the right action. If you are taking shots of your horse in action, you'll want to capture his power and impulsion. If your horse is trotting or cantering, try to capture him with his leading leg extended.

* Stay away from the front and rear. Photos from the side come out much nicer than photos taken head on or from the rear, which almost always accentuate unwanted things and make them look, well, HUGE!

* Keep clicking! While skill is most certainly involved, some of the best horse photographs are lucky. That's right. Don't wait for the perfect moment. Just keep clicking and you are sure to get a shot that shows your horse at his best!

Ron Petracek is the founder of Equine Internets vast 15 site classified and social network. You can view its amazing size here Http://www.equineinternet.com/network.php or to further your equine habit please visit our forum by clicking here http://www.horsechitchat.com/equineforums and start posting Need to sell a horse or tack? place a free ad here http://www.click4equine.com and always the barn door in left open on purpose.

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Thursday, November 13, 2008 

Training With Treats: Do It Right!

Hey even Im willing to learn new things if theres a broiled lobster in it for me.

When Im hungry that is.

If Im not hungry, or if Im so distracted that a lobster wont tempt me, then Ill blow you off to continue doing what I want, not what you want.

Thats pretty much how your dog sees the issue when you train with food. If hes hungry at the moment, and if theres nothing more compelling going on, food can be a great way to reinforce behaviors you teach your dog. On the other hand, if Fido isnt food motivated, or if hes got something better?to do, he wont be interested.

Nonetheless, training with food has its benefits when used as a motivator and a reward. For those dogs who just arent normally interested in treats, you can substitute play with a toy if that motivates them.

The first thing you have to know about using food in training is how NOT to use it. The primary rule is not to use it to stop an unwanted behavior. Instead, use it to create a new behavior you want to teach.

With those rules in mind, you wont teach your dog to stop growling at other dogs by using food. But you may be able to teach him to sit more quickly if theres something tasty in it for him.

Before I tell how you to deliver food treats when training, let me tell you WHY you should not use food to try and stop an unwanted behavior. The answer is because you can accidentally reinforce the very behavior youre trying to stop.

For example, lets say Fido growls at other dogs on his walks. If you tell him to stop growling, and distract him with a treat, what has he really learned?

Heres what YOURE thinkinghe stopped growling so I rewarded him for that with a cookie. He wont growl again.

Heres what FIDO is thinkingthis is cool, I growl, then mom pops me a cookie. Lets see if this workslets growl more!

Think of food as a directional reward. How, when and where you deliver it all determine whether the treat teaches your dog what you intended, or something else altogether. For example, you tell Fido to sit, and you hold a treat six inches over his head, while pushing down on his butt.

Sound about right? Wrong! By holding that treat six inches over his head, youre really teaching Fido to sit then immediately break that position in favor of jumping up to get the cookie.

Instead, start Fido standing on a closely held leash. Show him you have a cookie, by holding it at nose levelonly an inch from his sniffer-- while hes standing up. Direct his attention, and nose, slightly higher by raising the cookie only enough so that he must tend toward a sit to view it. While hes focusing upward only a couple of inches over his nose, use your other hand to push his butt down, while your cookie hand keeps the treat only a couple of inches from his nose as it moves.

As soon as he is sitting, deliver the treat to him just slightly above nose level, and slightly toward his rear. This means that to collect the treat, Fido must actually lean back into the sit more to reach it.

Mission accomplished! Food hasnt been just randomly delivered to your dog, leaving him wondering why he got it. Instead, the food has clearly communicated how he can get this treat even faster next time, by sitting when you ask.

Anyone getting hungry?

Marc Goldberg is a dog trainer specializing in the rehabilitation of difficult dogs and improving relationships. He is Vice President of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) and Editor of SafeHands Journal. The author also educates professional dog trainers in his techniques. Visit him on the web at http://www.chicagodogtrainer.com or http://www.dogtraininginchicago.com.

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008 

Why Aren't You In Heaven Yet?

The only reason we remain on earth is to serve God.

Ever wondered why, once you became a Christian, God has left you here? Why he hasnt taken you to heaven?

The reason is clear. The Bible tells us we are left here for a reason. Knowing where we are going, knowing of our divine-set appointment in heaven, we are meantime to do Gods work down here.

Consider the story of a Christian woman named Rebecca OConnor. When she first saw the horrific images of the 2005 Asian tsunami disaster, she was working the night shift at New York Presbyterian hospital, where she is a pediatric nurse. She said she felt compelled to do something.?br>
And OConnor did do something. She flew to Sri Lanka, along with eight other medical professionals, for a two-week medical-relief trip.

Arriving in Sri Lanka, they traveled through 150 miles of destruction before arriving in a downtown area that had been completely devastated. Setting up their clinic in a downtown Sri Lankan mosque, they saw 40 to 100 patients every shift. Respiratory problems and foot and leg wounds caused by stepping on debris when wading through water were the most common ailments treated.

OConnor and the others soon discovered they were less than a mile away from a local hospital and another large clinic. She questioned a Sri Lankan friend, Why are people coming to us??br>
The friend said, Because at the hospital someone asks, Name? Age? Complaint??and then gives them a sheet of paper and tells them to go wait somewhere. You sit them down, ask them whats wrong and treat them. You listen to them.?br>
Rebecca OConnor summed it up: It seemed that the most valuable therapy we were providing had nothing to do with antibiotics or wound care. By listening to story after heartbreaking story, admiring pictures of families once happy and healthy, and playing soccer with children who lost everything, we were able to say, We care about you, and we share in your grief,?without speaking a word.?br>
See how this principle works?

Like Rebecca OConnor, are you willing to risk everything, to live boldly as one privileged, charged and empowered to represent Jesus Christ?knowing you have a divine-set appointment in heaven?

Mike Fletcher puts out http://www.onlinechristianshopper.com, which sells Christian T-Shirts. He also runs the http://www.faithfulchristian.com evangelism site.

Saturday, November 8, 2008 

Take Me Out To The Baseball Game

Baseball is the American pasttime, you may be surprised how very few people actually know the rules of the game.

I went to a baseball game a few weeks ago and had the misfortune of sitting next to a group of very young, very boisterous children. Not that enthusiasm in the game is unfortunate, but they kept cheering at all the wrong times. Like when the opposing team batted a run in. And they were home team fans--they were dressed in full baseball regalia from replica batting helmets like these: http://www.sports-collectibles-store.com/MLB_Batting_Helmets-p-1-c-21-ss2.html to the stirrup pants.

My point is here that many children nowadays don't understand how the game is played. They confuse offense and defense and cheer when the pitcher beans a batter. Maybe they just don't like batters, but for some reason I don't think that is the case. They do all seem to know the value of baseball cards, which is more than I can say for many baseball card sellers. Baseball cards are not in their heyday anymore, but they are still darn popular and are still worth a pretty penny (or couple hundred bucks!).

Well, while I was sitting and trying to enjoy the game, the kids kept asking their dad questions. The one question that I believe I heard no less than 8 times was, "What's the difference between wooden baseball bats and metal ones?" This question tickled me almost as much as hearing the poor father of these curious children explain it to them over and over again.

I say we get kids back into baseball. I mean football and basketball have been attracting children for years, but baseball has sort of been on the decline for awhile. Why not have baseball camps and sand lot games in the summer instead of sitting the kids down in the air conditioning playing video games and watching television?

Joshua Miller is a sports columnist from Idaho, who specializes in his favorite sports, baseball. If you would like to read more of his articles, please visit http://www.sports-collectibles-store.com.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 

Affiliate Marketing - The Truth About Earnings

Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular ways of earning money on the Internet. It offers a lot of advantages over other methods of sales, including the fact that you don't actually have to stock any inventory to make sales. As an affiliate, you only need to advertise a product and direct the customer to the sales page for the product itself, which is usually run by the retailer or creator of that product. If the customer buys, you receive a portion of the sales price, even though you didn't actually engage in a transaction or hand over product. What could be easier than that?

While the concept may be easy, most people are lured into affiliate marketing because of promises of making lots of money, rather than making money easily. You don't have to search too long on the Internet to come across a page that tells you that you can earn thousands of dollars per day as an affiliate. While the mechanism is simple, it's actually the promise of a huge volume of cash that tends to attract people to this type of business. Many people are blinded by the big numbers, however, and fail to realize how unusual it is to make huge money as an affiliate right off the bat.

You can certainly earn money as an affiliate, but those who earn the six figure incomes often have something going for them that most people do not - a huge mailing list. Having a large group of customers at the ready when a new product comes along is a large part of making a lot of money in marketing. Those who have spent years developing a large mailing list with ten thousand, twenty thousand or one hundred thousand names can often make thousands of dollars just by sending out a single e-mail advertisement. Such success is possible, but it comes as the result of years of hard work. Advertisements along the lines of "I made $30,000 in a week advertising product X" may technically be true, but they often hide the unspoken "by sending e-mail to the 250,000 people on my list!"

Building a mailing list takes time. It isn't particularly hard, but it is a vital component of making money through affiliate marketing. With a large mailing list, you have a loyal, proven group of customers who are eager to buy from you. This is far better than randomly trying to get strangers to buy whatever it is you are promoting. Anyone who is interested in trying affiliate marketing needs to take the promises of huge, six figure incomes with a grain of salt and understand that such results are not typical. That doesn't mean you can't make money, it only means that you need to have realistic expectations of how much you can earn right away. As long as you understand that you can't get rich overnight, you will be OK.

©Copyright 2007 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of http://www.Retro-Marketing.com, a site devoted to affiliate marketing, and http://www.AffiliateMarketingMall.com, a site that lists the Top Ten Affiliate Marketing Programs.

Monday, November 3, 2008 

Why Becoming A Myspace Whore Can Make You Money

Ok, its not exactly flattering to be called a whore, but who cares when youre making money, right?

Before you send me hate mail or report me to the local authorities, let me explain myself a bit further.

The term that Im referring to is myspace whore? If you havent heard it than I really do apologize for exposing you to such an inappropriate phrase, but if you know anything about Myspace.com, then you know that that quote is thrown around like tator tots in a food fight. However, the definition of myspace whore isnt as bad as it sounds. Basically, it refers to a member who has an enormous list of friends?most of whom he or she has no personal relation with. In other words it means someone who likes to network with as many people as they can. Whether it be for their own reasons or what were going to be talking about...to make money.

You see, unless youve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you probably know that Myspace has become the supernova of online social networking sites. Boasting an 80 million registered user database, Myspace has surpassed Google, MSN and AOL with its 38.4 million U.S. visitors this past year.

So what does that all mean to the internet marketer...everything!

Imagine advertising your product or an affiliates product to 80 million potential customers. Imagine breaking that 80 million down by demographic region, age, sex, ethnic background, relationship status, hair color...get the picture. I dont know of many other places that can produce such a huge number of targeted traffic for absolutely zero dollars, and there are plenty of channels by which to advertise.

?Blogs
?Forums
?Bulletins
?Newsletters
?Classifieds
?Friends
?Groups

Like I said before, not bad for a website that can generate all that traffic for free!

I think the toughest part of your endeavor is going to be

Ej Abram is an expert in online marketing and advertising with three years of experience. If you would like to learn more about making money with your myspace account then visit http://www.myspaceincomestream.com

 

More Money For Pensioners

If you are dissatisfied with your pension or even
your anticipated pension, and need more money
without constantly working then this could be
your solution, it is not as impossible as it may
seem at the moment.

You need to develop a positive attitude to life
and decide that you will not be put down. Yes you
can do it and here is how to go about it. Now
with this positive attitude to life start looking
at an alternative that is not so easy to dismiss.

First to help you believe in yourself, list down
all things that you can do, list all types of
jobs you have done, the paid and unpaid, and
voluntarily and your hobbies.

This preparation will be the foundation of you
newly to be acquired skill. That skill being the
ability to generate real cash from ebay. Yes you
can make a lot of money but you need to know how
to go about it.

I have some free advice on this on my web site.

You will see lots and lots of adverts for showing
how you can make a fortune working from home only
the good ones give you really free start-up
information.

Working direct from your home on items that can
be sold and delivered electronically by email is
the route to consider. The list from above which
you have created is the key. Because electronic
books (ebooks) sell easily and well on ebay so
this is where you need to concentrate your
efforts.

So if you to want to look at ebay for yourself
tread carefully don't spend vast fortunes on
packages that offer tens of thousands per week
without any effort. If it sounds too good to be
true, then it probably is too good to be true.

Instead find guides that get you going free of
charge, then if you like what is on offer follow-
through and buy their package.

So Focus your thoughts on the future, the past is
past and cannot be changed, but in deciding where
you want to go in the future, you will increase
your chances of getting there. Always aim high,
and you too can make it a success.

If you want some free advice and guidance on to
ways to work for yourself without spending a
fortune then have a look at my web site.

In the comfort of your own home you can then read
of exciting ways to develop your own ebay income
and only when you feel comfortable with it do you
need to do anything more about it.

This could be the big solution you have been
waiting for.

John Harriyott runs Quality Solutions (UK), developing tools for the layman who wants a better life. To find out more on this visit http://www.quality-solutions.co.uk/pension.htm

Sunday, November 2, 2008 

A Little Bit About The Pomeranian

This is dog is occasionally referred to as the Miniature Spitz dog or European Spitz. In its native land of Germany it is the smallest member of the German Spitz group. The Pomeranian is also sometimes called the German Spitz in Germany.

In Germany the Pomeranian was bred to its present size in Pomeranian during the nineteenth century. Its ancestors were of the Spitz type and larger. Among the Pomeranians ancestors are the Samoyed, Norwegian Elkhound, Chow Chow and other northern European breeds. It is possible that the Pomeranian was reduced in size from the large white sled dog that originated in Iceland and Lapland. Exact time of origin is unknown. Queen Victoria of England took a great liking to the Pomeranian and helped to increase its popularity in her palace in 1888.

Other Spitz types were used as herding dogs and sled pullers. The Pomeranian, however, has always been a lapdog. It came to America in the late nineteenth century and was shown in the miscellaneous class in 1892 by the AKC. American Kennel Club recognized the Pomeranian officially in 1900. Since that time he has become quite popular as a pampered little pet.

Personality

The Pomeranian is sometimes a little too courageous for its own good. He serves well as an alarm dog, but its barking sometimes becomes a habit that needs to be discouraged. The Pomeranian has one primary purpose and that is to please its owners. It sometimes shies away from children that play too rough. The Pomeranian may not be a good choice for a household with children or as a childs pet. They socialize easily with cats and other small family pets.

The Pomeranian is definitely one of those big dogs in a little package. They usually wont back down from a much larger dog. This aggressiveness can be self-destructive as obviously a bigger dog could make mince meat of a tiny Pomeranian.

The Pomeranian is eager to learn and is devoted to its family. He is affectionate and has a very loving nature toward its own family. He is delightful and is always ready for a quick game with those he loves.

The Pomeranian responds to command if they are consistently given and he is rewarded with edible treats or kind words. The Pomeranian has a tendency to become somewhat of a spoiled brat.?When his bad habits surface he may simply ignore commands to act better.?He is rarely seen in agility trials; however, the Pomeranian does well in obedience trials.

Appearance

A Pomeranian stands about 7 to 8 inches tall and weighs from 3 to 7 pounds. The tiny Pomeranian has a short body, straight legs and well-balanced overall appearance. He has erect ears and a fox like expression that gives this little dog an alert expression. Pigmentation of the nose, lips and eyelids are always dark, usually black.

The Pomeranians coat is double and profuse. Acceptable colors are red, orange, cream and sable, black, brown and blue.

Grooming the Pomeranian

The coat of a Pomeranian is made up of an undercoat and an outer coat. The undercoat is soft and fluffy. The outer coat is fairly long, straight and harsh and covers the entire body.

There is an abundance of coat around the neck and the fore part of the shoulders and chest that forms a frill that extends over the shoulder. The forequarters are well feathered and the thighs and hind legs are well feathered to the hocks.

The Pomeranian requires regular attention to keep it clean and attractive. Thorough brushing once a week is required to keep the coat in good condition.

You will need a slicker/pin brush, medium-tooth metal comb, scissors and cotton buds.

Brush against the lie of the coat to give the Pomeranian its round pompom appearance. Brush first with the slicker/pin brush working from the top of the head, layering the hair as you go and be sure you reach the skin level. Then work through the coat with the comb to remove any tangles left behind from the brushing.

You might consider using a dry bath on your Pomeranians coat when in full coat. When the Pomeranian is in full coat, use a suitable pH-alkaline-balanced shampoo and rinse well.

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