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Check out this chick, Nellie McKay. She even promotes homeless dog adoption.

A lack of exercise is the number one reason so many of our dogs have behavior problems. This is true with my own dog, and I see this with every dog I know. The dogs that get enough exercise are the “good” dogs. The rest are destructive, nervous, hyper or bored. It’s really that simple. My mutt is an anxious, annoying wreck if he hasn’t had a walk. He follows me around crying, is obsessive about his toys and destroys things when he’s left home alone. But if we run for a few days in a row, he is a different dog, close to perfect.

I recently read the book “Cesar’s Way” by Cesar Millan, better known for his National Geographic Channel show, The Dog Whisperer. His book is a guide to understanding everyday dog behavior. Although Millan’s book addresses many “issues” our dogs deal with, one of his strongest messages is to make sure your dog is getting the exercise he needs. I couldn’t agree more. I really believe any dog owner can learn from reading this book, no matter how experienced she is with dogs.

Millan says dog owners need to provide their dogs with three things in this order: exercise, discipline and affection. The problem in the United States is that people only provide one thing: affection. Our dogs need exercise and leadership before affection, he says. And an easy way to provide both is through the daily walk. Unfortunately, most dogs don’t get this kind of exercise, not even close. Many people think of walking the dog as a five-minute walk around the block so the dog can go to the bathroom. Millan recommends a minimum of two 30-minute walks per day. Of course, some dogs will need longer walks.

Throughout his book, Millan provides valuable information for any dog owner. He explains how a dog communicates by using energy. One mistake people make is to communicate with their dogs as though they are humans. We talk baby talk to them, we mistake their excess energy as happiness, and we lose our tempers and scream at them to get off the couch, to stop barking, to heel. But dogs communicate on a different level. They see a leader as someone with calm, assertive energy, like Oprah Winfrey. And this kind of leadership is lacking in so many households when we allow our dogs to jump on us, pull us out the door and pretty much do whatever they want. Dogs actually want leadership and structure in their lives, Millan says, but when their owner does not act as a leader, then the dog is the one who actually takes on the leadership role.

In his book, Millan describes in detail his formula for a balanced and fullfilled dog. He stresses over and over to provide exercise, discipline and then affection. He also provides tips for living happily with your dog. He describes the power of the pack, how we screw up our dogs and how to deal with dangerous dogs. It really is a valuable book that I hope more dog owners will read.

I especially appreciated the section on how to act as a leader from the first day you adopt a new dog. I took his advice seriously and began walking Ace right away. The first afternoon after I adopted him, we went on a long walk through our neighborhood. I also established rules with Ace from day one such as not allowing him on the furniture, having him sit before eating and before heading out for a walk. Continuing on with basic exercises like these and adjusting them to fit my dog’s personality as I got to know him better have helped build a more stable relationship between Ace and I.

“Cesar’s Way” really covers everything and is filled with all kinds of suggestions to deal with behavior problems such as obsessive barking, pulling, separation anxiety, aggression, nervousness, whining, even toy obsession, which I need to work on with my mutt! I really recommend that all dog owners read this book.

Last week I wrote about 10 reasons to adopt a dog from a shelter. I realize that no matter how many homeless dogs there are, some people will always buy from a breeder. For this post, I talked with owners of purebred dogs in order to get their opinions on why they bought from breeders. Here are 10 reasons:

1. You know everything about the pup from day one.
A good breeder will tell you everything about the pup’s life up until that point. She will tell you how it was raised, if it had any health issues at birth, if it is a more dominant puppy, etc. Then, once you bring the puppy home, you have control over how the puppy will be raised from the start. You can continue training and socialization on your terms.

2. You can meet the pup’s parents.
The puppy’s parents will tell you a lot about how your puppy will turn out, as far as health, appearance and temperament. With a mixed-breed dog from a shelter, you do not have this option.

3. You know the pup hasn’t had a troubled life.
When adopting from a good breeder, there are no uncertainties about the pup’s past. You know your puppy hasn’t been abused or neglected, resulting in behavioral issues. There are no questions about how it was treated before. With a shelter dog, you often will have no idea about the dog’s past.

4. You are not encouraging irresponsibility.
Mixed-breed puppies are often the result of irresponsible owners who did not have their dogs spayed or neutered. Then they try to make money off of an accidental litter by selling the puppies to anyone. On the other hand, most breeders take pride in the dogs they are breeding. The will spend time researching the lineage of the parents and grandparents in order to produce the best puppies. They plan ahead so they can offer the mother dog and puppies the best care and find the best homes. They know they will not make a profit off the litter.

5. The breeder will have references.
At your request, a breeder will offer you references of dog owners who are happy with the dogs they purchased. This gives you another opportunity to ask any questions you have.

6. You can get another similar dog.
If you really like the dog, you know where it came from in order to get another dog just like it. If you have a mutt, you probably have no idea where it came from, let alone what breed it is.

7. There is endless information on your specific breed.
A breeder of Jack Russell terriers will tell you everything you want to know about Jack Russell terriers. There are also hundreds of others who own the breed and books written on the breed. Your resources are unlimited.

8. A breeder can recommend a good vet for your breed.
A breeder can give you recommendations on vets in your area. Especially if you have a rare breed, the breeder will know of vets who are knowledgeable on that specific kind of dog.

9.  Mixed-breed dogs might develop new health issues.
Certain breeds are prone to certain health issues and sometimes this can be avoided by adopting a mixed-breed dog. Other times, a mixed-breed dog will just develop different health issues, or the health issues it inherited from its purebred parents of two different breeds. For example, a dachshund/pit bull mix might have back issues because of its long, stocky body.

10. A breeder will be available to you throughout your dog’s life.
Many breeders like to stay in touch with the owners they sell puppies to. This is good because you will always have someone to turn to if you have a question about your dog. The breeder has probably experienced similar issues at one time or another.