I think most people by now realize the danger of chocolate to your dog. Is a little OK? Well, my answer to that would be "Is a little bubonic plague OK?" I am not really exaggerating, because chocolate can be deadly to your dog. My advice is keep him or her completely away from the stuff. A little dark chocolate may be OK and possibly even healthy for a human, but it can be very dangerous for a 4 legged friend. And forget the milk chocolate or chocolate ice cream as well.

Come to think of it, its not all that good for you, either!

I would imagine these two will stay close friends, and the child will remember this incident for the rest of his life. What an experience that was! And a happy ending all around, thank goodness.

Whenever I read a story like this, it warms my heart, and reminds me of the incredible bond between people and their pets. And thank goodness the puppy saved the boy from the bee swarm!

The first training of your dog begins when he or she is still a puppy. Getting your dog off to a good start is much easier than working on breaking bad habits later on. Of course, one of the earliest areas to address is housebreaking your dog. There is a lot of information on how to do this, and I think it is a great idea to learn the ropes before you bring your new pup home!

Training your dog using the reward system instead of punishing him should be foremost. You want your dog to be your lifelong friend, not a frustrated, cowering and aggressive enemy. Dog obedience is a way to ensure your canine friend remains so for many happy years!

When you are afraid, a scent is emitted that is picked up by dogs. So yes, they DO smell fear! Likewise, when a person is feeling happy or contented, the body odor is different. You can’t lie to a dog. They can smell what you have been up to, and there’s no hiding that!

Perhaps you can actually take advantage of this natural gift by adding a scent of some sort to your house keys; you know, the one’s you are always losing!

I’m sure this still happens, but I think due to great toy developers, it is much rarer now.

But enter the kong! And what a brilliant idea to invent something that a treat can be inserted into! Talk about motivation for your pooch. Not to mention entertainment for his or her human! I could watch Roscoe and his bedevilment with his Kong dog toy for hours.

Luckily there are many wonderful veterinarians to choose from. If you prefer a holistic approach, you will most likely find a vet tuned into this type of treatment. If you prefer the standard veterinary treatment, no doubt there is a dog doc to suit your needs. And of course, do not neglect a regular check up. Then any developing physical disorder can be sorted out before your pooch is really ill. After all, your dogs health is of the utmost importance!

I have never had a hound dog, but they seem to be such good natured dogs in general. If I ever have a big piece of land, then I would think about adding one to our family.

There are so many breeds I admire. I wish I could have one of each!

Let your cat live his or her life out stress free. Or if you feel you must have a puppy, perhaps consider finding another home for your cat first. It may not be fair to either of them to enforce their co-habitation. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Sometimes you just have to check it out for yourself, but be prepared for a lot of upset on both sides, and be sure to have a plan B.

With an operation as profitable and widespread as puppy mills, I think this trend could be a real blessing. And having an agency where abuses could be reported will certainly be helpful in enforcing laws. It is hard to believe that anyone would want to raise puppies in inhumane circumstances, but apparently, these heartless people do exist. It is good to have a way to control their behavior with laws designed to protect helpless dogs.

Any dog, if mistreated, may turn vicious. There is even an instance of a four pound Pomeranian killing an infant. So obviously there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to which dogs may turn vicious.

I know plenty of people with loving pit bulls who are horrified by all the bad press and bad news about their favorite breed. Their dogs are part of the family, and they would never part with them. Dogs are individual, and it is apparent that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to which breed will bite. Of course, the best protection against this is having a dog that was raised in a loving manner.