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Therapy dog training, while important, is something with which many people are not familiar. A therapy dog is one that is used to do animal assisted therapy and activities. Organizations train the dog to help people in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and virtually anywhere people need some sort of therapy. So, then, how do dogs become therapy dogs? It is a fairly simple process.

A Good Citizen

Though the requirements for therapy dog training vary from state to state, it is almost universal that the dog must be certified as a canine good citizen. In order to receive that, you have to train your dog to be focused and well behaved around distractions. Generally your local animal shelter or even a therapy dog training center will have classes available for you to learn how to turn your dog into a canine good citizen.

Classes for Therapy

Therapy dog training can start as soon as your dog has been certified as a canine good citizen. The training consists mainly of teaching your dog how to ignore things like hospital equipment and school noises that he or she may not be used to being around. They also train the dog to help with simple activities and therapy with those who need it. However, in many cases, the therapy is really just the presence of the dog. Those using the services of dogs trained in how to perform the therapy can be anything from walking them, to reading to them, to simply being around them.

Where to Go

If you are interested in therapy dog training for your four legged pal, then you should check out the internet or your local yellow pages. Whether you live in Virginia, California, or anywhere else, there is an organization in your area that will help you not only teach your dog how to become a therapy dog, but also get him out in the community and doing his part. Additionally, you can volunteer to help with everything from training to the therapy itself. Just get in contact with your local organization.

Therapy dog training can be incredibly rewarding. When you teach your dog how to react to the situations with which he will be presented, you are putting him in a situation to be more than just a pet. You and your dog together can be real additions to the community and help your fellow man.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of http://www.dogtrainingadvisor.com providing tips and advice on dog obedience training at home, including obedience, potty training and more.

Ethology is the science that studies behaviors of a species under natural situations. Therefore, it studies instinctive and non-instinctive behaviors that are typical of a species.

Dog whispering is a training technique based on canine ethology. So, it takes into account those behaviors that are natural in dogs, but usually ignore the principles of learning theories.

The fundamental premise of dog whispering is that the owner should become the leader of the pack. This is also known as the theory or paradigm of the alpha dog.

According to the alpha dog paradigm, dogs establish dominance hierarchies in the pack. Thus, you should achieve the higher hierarchy, the alpha dog status, in order to maintain a good relationship with your dog.

Though it is not clear when the paradigm of the alpha dog appeared, it is well known that it gained popularity in the eighties.

Jan Fennell and Cesar Millan are two of the most famous practitioners of dog whispering. The latter is perhaps the most famed trainer at these days, because of his show "The Dog Whisperer" broadcasted by National Geographic.

Some authors say that dog whispering is based on scientific studies of wolf packs. Others say the technique was developed after studying the social behavior of dogs for several years.

Unfortunately, there are several non-standardized variants of this technique. Besides, some of the technique variants seem to be based only on popular beliefs and not on real studies about dog behavior.

Dog whispering by itself is useless to teach obedience commands. For that reason, many trainers don't accept it as real training technique. Moreover, it is also frequent that practitioners of this technique don't consider themselves as dog trainers. Instead, they claim they are people who can communicate with dogs by a deep understanding of dog behavior and proper body language.

Dog whispering advocates claim that the technique provides a natural way to communicate with dogs. Some of these people also tend to use non-violent procedures. However, the degree of violence is highly variable and depends on the method used by the trainer.

Detractors claim that there is a lack of solid arguments in this technique. They also claim that dog whispering is based on popular beliefs, which could be true for several of its variants.

Same detractors usually question the alpha dog paradigm and argue that there's no need for a model based on dominance hierarchies.

Biologists Raymond and Lorna Coppinger are among the few people who carried out extensive scientific studies on social behavior and evolution of dogs. Their studies reject the paradigm of the alpha dog, and these scientists say that wolves and dogs have very different behavior repertoires. Therefore, studies on the behavior of wolves shouldn't be useful for a better understanding of dog's behavior.

Perhaps further studies on canine ethology could lead to a better understanding of dog behavior. Meanwhile, most dog whispering variants can't provide clear and precise guidelines for dog training; even when there are some really successful "dog whisperers" like Cesar Millan and Jan Fennell.

Rodrigo Trigosso is a biologist and professional dog trainer. His website http://www.dog-training-tutorial.com provides great info on canine training and behavior.

It isn't so much a matter of physical exercise, although that would make them very happy and tired. Mental exercise is an absolute must for herding dogs. With proper training and socialization, they are wonderful pets.

Modern breed research and understanding suggests that even intelligent dogs need training. What happens to a lot of herding dogs that get taken to the shelters is that their owners don't bother to train them. They hear the breed is intelligent and expect it to train itself.

Also a lot of the shelter dogs are impulse buys from pet stores, flea markets and parking lots by people who have no understanding of what a herding breed needs. An untrained and unsocialized herding dog can be a nightmare for a family with young children because they can and often do become very protective and territorial.

That can lead to the dog acting out aggressively based on his natural protective instincts or based on his fear. This is a broad generalization and not all dogs will react this way, but a strong guardian instinct is part of the herding breed standard. This is not surprising because they have been bred since ancient times to guard the farm, ranch, family and livestock.

Positive reinforcement training and consistent socialization are essential to living in peace (and having peace of mind) with a herding dog breed.

Dear Dog Owner,

In the already infamous condom episode of South Park, the town decides that sex education is desperately needed in the schools after a number of the kids are caught innocently milking male dogs. As with most South Park episodes, much raunchy humor follows. And also as with most South Park episodes, there's a final moral that ends up being both serious and legitimatein this case the point that sex education needs to be taught not in the schools (or at least not primarily in the schools) but at home. Which is, of course, easier said than done.

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In fact, talking to our children about S-E-X is one of the most difficult talks that many parents will face. That tiny, 3-letter word seems to hold a spell over us and by uttering it to a child we think we are going to hell. Some parents are afraid that if they discuss sex with their child, Child Protective Services will soon be knocking at their door. They think that if they talk sex they are going to be accused of pedophilia or being weird. Others feel that if they teach their child about sex and birth control they are advocating promiscuity. Some of us are so damn uptight that we just hope that the schools will do a good job of teaching sex or our kids will see other kids getting pregnant or an STD and decide on their own to wait. A wise, responsible parent will equip their child with the knowledge that will help and protect the child should they become sexually active. Each year roughly two million children are born to unmarried parents in the United States alone. If you don't want your child to be one of these parents or you are not ready to be one of the grandparents, you better get with the program and start talking about sex. Hopefully you will start at an early age and keep right on talking even after you have the kids married off.

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When children are young we talk to them using terminology that they can understand but do not hide the obvious or the truth. If they see a couple of dogs hooking up you explain that the dogs are making babies. We can read toddlers and small children books that are written at their level. When you see your children touching themselves you need to let them know that it is okay to touch it but to do so someplace private. And you want to make sure that a small child understands that their private area is not to be touched by others and that if someone tries to or does, they need to tell you right away and that you will not be mad at them.

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During all sex talks turn off the television, radio and cell phone. Turn on the telephone answering machine and select a time when you are less likely to be disturbed by someone coming to the door. Make the talks special and, if you have more than one kid, don't try to save time by having them all at once. While it is okay for older children to be in on the conversation with the younger children, the opposite is not advised. When a 13-year-old boy sees that his 10-year-old sister is getting hairy armpits and the only hair he has is on his head, he feels that something horrible must be wrong. So have two separate talks. Reassure your son he's not a monster, and tell your daughter about menstruation so that when she experiences that first flow she won't think she's bleeding to death. I would suggest purchasing a good book on puberty and not just give it to them but also first read it yourself and then together and answer any questions they may have. Books like this can be found in bookstores or at educational websites like Ask Uncle Terry.

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By the age of 13 you should be talking about birth control and masturbation. Let your child know that masturbation is something most all of us practice and it is normal. Tell him about precum and semen so that the first time your son has an orgasm he will not think that he broke something. Put lotion and tissue in your son's room for those runny noses and to keep his hands soft. This will not embarrass him and it will help you with the cleanup. But there are other times, of course, when a topic has to be addressed directly.

When these times come up you can't be afraid to explore the topic candidly. Remember you are the parent, so be strong and stay the course and, if necessary, demand that your children do, too. Take control, be open, have a dialogue and have them tell you what they have learned from school, their friends or on their own. Answer their questions fully without sugar coating. Discuss masturbation, sexual safety, STDs and protection. Remember that diseases like AIDS and hepatitis can be deadly, making the use of condoms mandatory.

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Oral sex has become a prevalent form of sex among our children, so discuss it openly and remind them that while they will not become pregnant through oral or anal intercourse they can still get a sexually transferred disease. Answer their questions about oral sex and anything else is one way of showing that you are always there for them. Make it perfectly clear that they need to wait until adulthood before becoming sexually active, but if they do make the plunge earlier don't turn your back on them or refuse to answer questions about condoms or birth control. It may make you feel uncomfortable, but that's the price that you need to be willing to pay for knowing you are doing your best to protect your tween and teen children from raising children of their own.

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For parents that needs a little refresher course on abstinence, sex and masturbation, check out http://www.askuncleterry.com

Terrance Lile (Uncle Terry) is not your typical writer and advisor on sexual relationships. He serves frank, down to earth, sometimes brutal advice on sex and life. He uses humor and knowledge gained through extensive reading and personal experience. He has the support of advisors from medical and mental professionals to educators and clergy and pornographers to prostitutes. Uncle Terry can be found at http://www.askuncleterry.com

Whether you are a new piano player or a full-time professional, exams can be a strenuous and often daunting task. Each exam has its separate challenges. However, if you prepare for your exams correctly, it could mean the difference between passing and failing.

For this example, let us pretend that we are sitting for a Grade Six piano exam. Let the record denote that I have sat and passed a Grade Six exam. Although admittedly I did not pass it well - this was caused by a severe lack of preparation leading up to the exam. I did not put the time or effort into my preparation for this music exam. I can assure you from first hand experience that you need more than 15 minutes practice three to four times a week to effectively prepare for a Grade Six piano exam!

THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE EXAM

At this time you should be doing approximately one hour's worth of practice a day, five days a week. In your selected pieces you should be able to at least press all of the right notes. This is the time to start developing your pieces from a series of notes to a piano masterpiece. Concentrate on things like expression, dynamics and tempo. Put some feelings and emotion into your pieces.

You should also profusely study all of your theory and scales. Too often scales and theory are neglected at this time and are only revised about a fortnight before the exam. This is a terrible mistake! Remember the more you study now, the more you will retain this information, thus having a better chance of recalling the required knowledge during your exam.

ONE MONTH BEFORE THE EXAM

It is time to up the anti a bit. You should be spending one and a half to two hours practicing a day, six days a week. This is the time to smooth out all of the minor flaws in your pieces of music. Practice things like getting that tricky triplet sounding fluent and making sure you hit the F sharp with your fourth finger rather than the fifth. These issues might seem minor, but it will help you immensely with your exam.

Practice without the sheet music in front of you and see how well you go. During your exam if you rely too heavily on your score, I can guarantee you will stuff up. Learn your music off by heart.

Also, make sure that your exam becomes your number one priority. Do not be distracted by other issues in your life. Do not become distracted by relationship, financial or other issues that might divert your attention from your exam. You will become stressed and worn out, and you will not perform at your potential.

ONE WEEK BEFORE YOUR EXAM

Now is the time to just practice, practice, practice! I would recommend doing between two to three hours per day by now. You should have all of the knowledge required for the exam. It is simply a matter of revising it for your exam.

Whilst we are working and studying hard, we have to remain relaxed. Put it into perspective; it is only an exam. There is no need to worry about it 24/7.

DAY BEFORE YOUR EXAM

Most people on the night before an exam practice for 5-6 hours, studying until some ungodly hour in the morning. This is a big no-no! At maximum you should only play through your pieces once. What I like to do is pretend I am actually sitting for the exam. So I would do my scales first, then my pieces in order, and then do some sight reading.

Don't try to do any last minute revision for your exam. Chances are that you will only put unneeded pressure on yourself and more importantly you will only have a small chance to remember it for your exam. Do not get distracted by other things in your life. Your piano exam is tomorrow - everything else can wait another day.

Relax! It is essential that you get a good night's sleep. I would recommend that you get 8 to 10 hours solid sleep if you can afford the luxury.

MORNING BEFORE YOUR EXAM

Do not do any work, whether it is piano related or not. Do something fun that doesn't require a lot of brain power. Watch a movie. Kick a soccer ball. Do whatever that suits you.

Try to eat a healthy breakfast. However, if you suffer from butterflies in the stomach, which I suffer from immensely, don't try to force anything down. It will only comes straight back up! (Trust me!)

I will say it again, RELAX! Try not to think about your exam. Don't try to think about your theory, scales, pieces, fingering etc. etc. Don't think about what you have and haven't done for your exam. This is only going to get you all frazzled and this will seriously hinder your exam.

30 MINUTES BEFORE THE EXAM

By now you should be at the venue where your exam is being held. Do some ultra-light revision. Look through your music sheets and visualize yourself playing it as you read the notes. Play some 'air-piano.' Test yourself with a couple of theory questions.

Do not under any circumstances talk to other people about the exam. Do not ask each other theory questions. Do not discuss your pieces. Do not talk about previous exams or examiners. This is nothing more than an unwanted hindrance. Take a few deep breaths, relax and focus on your exam.

5 MINUTES BEFORE THE EXAM

Close the books for a moment. Take three deep breaths and focus. Think to yourself that this is just like any other piano practice session. Go into the exam with positive thoughts. Whether you have prepared yourself for the exam as I have discussed above or not, it does not matter now. All you can do now is concentrate on the upcoming task of your exam.

DURING THE EXAM

Two things will be happening to you about now. Firstly, you think you are doing well. Great! Ride on this wave of euphoria until the end of the exam. But you must not slack off! You still have a couple of pieces or a couple of scales or some theory to do. You must concentrate until the end of the exam. A lot can happen between now and then.

The second thing that could be happening to you during your piano exam is that you think you are performing badly. Forget about it! It doesn't matter what has happened. You still have the rest of the exam to impress the examiner. A lot can change between now and the end of the exam.

Another point worth thinking about is just because you think that you have done a bad job, doesn't mean that the examiner knows you've done a bad job. He/She will not pick up every single mistake you make. Just forget what has happened, clear your mind and start again with your next task. Think about what is going to happen, not what has just happened.

AFTER THE EXAM

Congratulations! You have completed your exam! You can now breathe a huge sigh of relief! It's finally over!

Carefully analyse your exam. What did you do well? What do you do badly? What could you have done to improve? Make notes so you can use them as a reference for future exams.

Be careful not to be too confident with your exam. You might be disappointed when you see your results. Conversely, do not be too negative with your exam and think that you have done badly. More often than not you will get a nice surprise!

RECEIVING YOUR RESULTS

After waiting one to two weeks for your results to come back, you would be naturally excited, or at least inquisitive to see your results. Have you done well and/or better than you expected? Have you done worse than you have thought? Either way, read your examiner's comments at least three times. See what they liked about your piano examination and what they didn't. No matter how well you did, you can always improve! Next year's exams are guaranteed to be harder than this year.

Take the assessor's comments on board, but also take your own thoughts on board. Was your preparation leading up to the exam as good as it could have been? Nine times out of ten, if you have done badly you generally know why. Think about why you did badly and improve! Learn from your mistakes. Do not get depressed! It is not the end of the world. There is always next year.

I hope this article was helpful for your preparations for your exam. This is what I personally do when preparing for a piano exam. Obviously, if you have your own routine that works, by all means stick to it. However, if you do pick up one piece of advice from this article and apply it successfully, I will consider this article a success. Good Luck for your exams and most importantly, remember you can only do your best.

Christopher Carlin is the founder of the new resource for piano players, Free Piano Sheet Music. He has applied over twelve years of piano knowledge and experience into this article. Visit Free Piano Sheet Music to get free piano sheet music, articles, tools and much much more.

Do you know someone who is football crazy? Is your Dad a footy nut? Is your brother a soccer Fanatic? This is possibly the bestest Crimbo pressie you can make them. You can make it fit any football team of your choosing, or add an assortment of football teams. You could also adapt this idea to make a net-ball, basketball, or rugby clock.

To make a Football Crazy Wall Clock you will need...

Paint, thick card or an old grocery box, a clock mechanism and clock hands (you will find these at craft shops) and a print out of pattern of football shirts which is available at the link below.

Colour the football shirts in the teams strip you choose. You can colour them randomly if you wish. Number each shirt 1 to 12.

To make the clock face, draw around a large dinner plate or a tea tray onto some card. An old grocery box is great. Cut out two identical circles, and glue them together so that the lines in the cards structure cross, this will give the clock face extra strength.

Once the glue is dry, paint the clock face green. Again leave to dry. With white paint, paint on a centre line through the middle of the clock face, and paint a kick off circle in the middle of the clock.

Push a pencil through the centre of the clock face ready to attach the clock mechanism. Be very careful and use the old Plasticine trick - Put a ball of Plasticine on the table, put your card on top of it where you need the hole to be, and push the pencil through the card and into the Plasticine.

Arrange the football shirts on the clock face and stick them down.

Push the clock spindle through the hole and push on the hands. The mechanism has a hole for hanging the clock on the wall.

Put a battery in the clock and set the time.

S. Roberts