Dear Readers:
This is issue #5 of our Spring Newsletter series - Not a regular newsletter! This special edition will include per first aid tips, pet emergency management information as well as dog training advice from trainingyourlab.com.

Spring is a wonderful season. It gets us all out of the house. Time for hikes, more doggy park hours, longer horseback rides, kayaking trips, terrace lunches and dinners and so forth.

Heavy panting is the first sign followed by huffing and puffing - a staring expression - warm, dry skin - failure to respond to hearing his name - rapid heartbeat - profuse salivation - vomiting or collapse. If left untreated the dog will become unconscious and die.

If your dog should become overheated, you must take measures to cool him and lower his body temperature immediately. Move the dog to a cool place, out of the sun and give him water. Immerse an overheated dog in cool, not cold, water or very gently pour cool water on him. Place ice packs on his head and neck. A fan, placed in front of the dog will aid in evaporation. See a veterinarian, but only after you cool the dog.

According to Dr. William Fortune, a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University: "Dogs become less efficient at cooling themselves as the humidity rises. Just like people, dogs are cooled by evaporation. The problem with high humidity is that it decreases evaporation and slows down the cooling process. This time of year we hear a lot about the heat index, which is a measurement of both the temperature and the humidity level, and that is what an owner needs to pay close attention to. There are other factors that hinder canines' ability to cool themselves. They only have sweat glands on the pads of their feet and on their nose, which are inadequate for cooling during hot and humid days. Panting helps dogs cool themselves but they still aren't as efficient at cooling themselves as people are."

Don't tie your dog outside, especially in hot weather. Chains on dogs tied to trees or poles can easily become tangled, making it impossible to reach shade and water. If, for any reason, it's unavoidable for a short time, put the dog in a shaded area and provide lots of water in a heavy spill proof container. Use a standard nylon, fabric or leather buckle-type collar. Never hook a tie-out chain to a choke type training or correction collar any time of year. Make sure there's nothing your dog can reach to get the chain tangled on. Remember that shady areas might become hot and sunny areas as the day progresses.

Keep medium and long haired dogs especially well-groomed in summer. A well-groomed heavy coat protects the dog from the sun and acts as insulation from the heat. When long or thick hair becomes tangled and matted, the mats may trap the heat instead.

Some dog owners who spend a lot of time outside in summer, keep a molded plastic child's wading pool in the back yard for their dogs to play in and cool off in the summertime. Since dogs will inevitably drink their pool water, no matter how many bowls of fresh clean water are nearby, and since it will get dirty much faster than a pool used by many rowdy children, change the water at least once a day.

Never walk your dog mid-day during a heat wave. Skip long walks altogether or limit walks and outdoor exercise to early morning or late evening for any dog, young or old. You're wearing shoes and might not think about how hot sun drenched sidewalks and roads can become. When air temperatures approach 100 degrees, the surface temperature of asphalt can cause second degree burns on a dogs paws in as little as 10 minutes of walking. Don't expect a normally faithful dog to suddenly refuse to follow you. Some dogs will do anything to stay by their master's side.

A dog with a "fair complexion" can get sunburned. If your dog has a thin, light coat and you plan to take him outside for any length of time on a sunny summer day, apply sunscreen to his nose and ears about 1/2 hour before going out.

As the snow melts and the warm spring air begins to roll in, dog lovers need to prepare for more time outdoors with their furry friends. Bark Busters, the world's largest dog training company, has compiled a list of tips to help you know what to watch for, what to avoid and how to handle difficult situations at the dog park.

'When the weather warms up and you and your family spend more time outside, it is important to include your dog in the fun,' said Liam Crowe, CEO and master dog behavioral therapist of Bark Busters USA. 'Dog parks are a great place to enjoy the outdoors with your four-legged friend but can also be unsafe if proper measures aren't taken.'

Know your dog. Not all dogs enjoy meeting new dogs. Don't let your dog get overwhelmed by meeting too many dogs at once. If your dog has not interacted regularly with other dogs, find out how he will react. You can perform a test by introducing your dog to a friends' dog that you know interacts well with other dogs. Testing your dog in a controlled environment is ideal before you go into the dog

Keep your dog healthy. Be sure your dog isn't vulnerable to picking up infections from other dogs by keeping him up to date on his vaccinations and worming medications.

Observe. Consider visiting the park without your dog for the first time to familiarize yourself with the park itself and the dogs that play there. Before bringing your dog inside the park, spend a few minutes watching the other dogs and how they interact. If the dogs seem too rough for your dog, come back at another time or try a different dog park. On your next visit you may want to bring your dog and sit quietly with him outside the park. Having your dog with you to observe from outside the park enables you to watch how he reacts to seeing the other dogs.

Start out slow. The first few visits to the dog park should be short, no longer than 15 minutes. Slowly increase the length of your stays as your dog becomes more comfortable with the dog park atmosphere.

Choose a time that is less busy for your first few visits to the park. Weekday evenings are peak, high-traffic times at dog parks, and weekends and holidays tend to be busy all day long. Acquaint your dog with the dog park when the park isn't as crowded.

Closely supervise your dog. Don't get distracted while talking to other owners. Keep an eye on your dog at all times to make sure his interactions with other dogs are safe. Watch his body language to help you avoid any trouble before it begins. Watching his actions also enables you to quickly clean up after your pet.

Let your dog off leash as soon as you enter unleashed areas. Mixing leashed and unleashed dogs can create a hostile situation. Leashed dogs, and their owners, often display body language and behavior that is threatening to the unleashed dogs and may encourage them to be aggressive and defensive in return. A leashed dog cannot make the choice his natural instinct tells him of 'fight or flight' -- if he cannot take flight, he may have to fight.

Potential hazards: Be aware of potential hazards that may be in the park, such as toxic chemicals, garbage or noxious plants. Be sure to wash any chemicals, such as fertilizer or pesticides, off of your dog's feet and legs to ensure they aren't licked and ingested.

Leave children at home. Don't bring children with you to the dog park. You will not safely be able to watch your kids and your dog at the same time. Many dogs have not been socialized to children. Both frighten and excite easily -- and react differently -- creating a dangerous atmosphere. It's simply too easy for a child to get hurt at a dog park.

Leave small puppies at home. Puppies less than four months old aren't fully immunized yet and are at higher risk for contracting diseases. They are also very vulnerable to being traumatized by another dog's aggressive behavior.

Do not bring toys or food. Most parks are already littered with balls and toys that other people have brought. Rewarding your dog with treats or giving him toys in front of other dogs can create jealousy and aggression.

Hi. Just wanted to give you a final reminder about the Response Revolution course, because it launches this morning at 10:00 AM central time.

The NERVE

Lauren apparently just decided on the number of people who will get the training videos (worth about $1000, and that's not an overstatement!): only the first 100 orders will get access to the super-secret training videos (which will demonstrate step-by-step the 5 Pillars and how to teach them to your dog)! I wish I could give them to everyone who would like to invest in the course, but Lauren won't budge on this. So if you want access to the videos, just buy the Response Revolution course this morning instead of waiting until tonight (because with all the people who were waiting for this, I'm not sure how long those 100 spots will take to fill up).

Hope to see you there.