Sunday, January 27, 2008

Really bad NJ breeding bill!

The passage of this bill
will force good in home breeders out and bring commercial
breeding industry in their place.

Puppies will not have the quality attention, affection,
socialization and warmth of a family setting to prepare them
for futures within our homes.

Contact your representatives and tell them to vote no!
Protect our future litters!
The Animal Welfare Act was developed by PETA and Animal
Rights groups who have no real care or concern for a family
pet. PETA killed 97% of the dogs they took in for adoption
last year. Are these the right people to develop laws about
our pets?

The rules and regulations they are suggesting are arbitrary
and unfounded as a necessity for safety or health of litters.
They only put unnecessary fiscal burdens on breeders.


SOUND THE ALARM!
OPPOSE NJ Assembly Bill A1591

Help defeat New Jersey Assembly Bill A1591 which proposes to
effectively end hobby breeding in New Jersey and threatens
the rights of responsible breeders. A1591 denies citizens the
ability to purchase a puppy or kitten from a responsible
breeder in their own state.

A1591 ranks as one of the most radical and repressive
anti-dog/cat and anti-breeder bills that has ever been
presented in the United States.

Key points of A1591:
• Defines a "pet dealer" as anyone who sells or offers for
sale more than 5 animals per year, and requires them to follow
federal regulations set forth by the Animal Welfare Act.
Being defined as a "dealer" puts hobby breeders into a whole
new category.
• Requires breeders to comply with a host of restrictive
regulations, with no scientific basis, and institutes steep
fines for violations.
• All breeders would be required to comply with draconian
regulations including maintaining specified temperatures,
keeping animals only on nonporous surfaces, and circulating
air at precise levels-- conditions impossible to meet in a
family home.
• The measure mandates the acceptable dimensions for crates
and runs, and sets minimum socialization standards, not
consistent with accepted animal husbandry practices.
• All breeders are required to register annually with the
Department
of Health. This list will be published and made available
to the public.
• Violations can be punished with unreasonable penalties--a
$5,000
fine for a first offense or suspension of the license to sell
pets.
A member of the public who
supplies information that results in
fines or suspension will
be eligible for an award of 10 percent of the

civil penalty or $250, whichever is greater--and they are
granted
immunity, even in unsubstantiated cases.

ACT NOW! OPPOSE A1591, which would effectively end RESPONSIBLE
BREEDING in NJ.

1. Tell your NJ Assembly representatives and the bill sponsors
that
you OPPOSE this bill, which is not pro-animal, not even
pro-consumer;
it is simply anti-breeder:
http://tinyurl.com/2gw3jb (National Animal Interest Alliance
Trust)

2. Urge the NJ Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources
Committee
members to OPPOSE this bill. Get additional background and
contact
information at: http://tinyurl.com/259s34 (AKC)

NJ ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Chair – Douglas H. Fisher (856) 455-1011 or (856) 251-9801
AsmFisher@njleg.org
Vice Chair – Nelson T. Albano (609) 465-0700 AsmAlbano@njleg.org
John F. Amodeo (no number published) AsmAmodeo@njleg.org
Herb Conaway Jr. (856) 461-3997 AsmConaway@njleg.org
Marcia A. Karrow (908) 782-5127 AswKarrow@njleg.org

BILL SPONSORS
Neil M. Cohen – (908) 624-0880 AsmCohen@njleg.org
Joan M. Voss – (201) 346-6400 AswVoss@njleg.org





Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Cost of training your dog?

What is the real cost factor when you seek a training program or service?
Have you thought about what the real value is in having your dog professional trained?

The most expensive training is the program which does not meet or exceed your expectations! The cost of a program is not necessarily the value of the program when you weigh in all the factors.

What is your time worth?
The program which requires many hours to achieve the simplest results is an expense of your valuable time.

What does the training give you as an end product?
A program which limits the end result by giving you a dog who can only do commands in a specific setting is incomplete.

How hard is it to follow through with what you have learned?
Training that requires you to do a lot fussing to keep the dogs attention when in distraction has no immediate value for you. In distraction is when the training should be the easiest for you to follow through with.


It is important for you to realize when you set out to find a suitable training program, that you are not buying commands. Sit only as good as the end result. Sitting in your kitchen is not the same as sitting in the Vets office or at a family picnic or for safety. Anyone can teach a dog to sit rather quickly, but, getting your dog to sit at a distance with distraction as a life saver is not the same command. Yet the greatest value for you and your dog is being able sit when it matters the most for safety.

You are really buying the trainers skill, years of experience with varied dog personalities and temperament handling , teaching abilities, follow up, proving exposure and full spectrum of a well behaved and social acceptable dog. Basically, you are buying the services of someone who is capable of teaching you as well as you dog and creating effective results in a timely manner.
What is a timely manner? Within 12 weeks your dogs should: have manners, problems solved, be able to walk on leash around high distractions (dogs running and playing) sit and down (next to and at a distance on command from play), come off leash with high distraction and from large active group play, go to place (and stay there).

Whatever your goal, it is important for you to be sure that the results exceed your expectations!

Training cannot take place in a bubble. Our dogs live in alternating environments.
In the house, behaviors can take on one form, while outside on the street learning must address real life concerns and foundation.
Most any dog can be taught in isolated circumstance to follow commands easily. Those same commands will become non functional when the dog is faced with the distractions of real life.

So if you are looking for training based on cost of programs, evaluate what the real cost may be for your time, end result, functional use and finally the safety of your dog.