YMCA Dallas Turkey Trot 2013 logo

Warm up your Thanksgiving appetite with the Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot! The Dallas YMCA brings family and friends together to start the day in a healthy way. Come join runners, joggers, even walkers for great fun! The Capitol One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot is the largest Thanksgiving Day event of its kind in the United States. Starting from humble beginnings 45 years ago at White Rock Lake, the Trot has attracted thousands of locals as well as those who fly in from all over the world to experience the great destination event.

With the Dallas Marathon taking place just 10 days after, the Trot 8 mile course is popular among local running enthusiasts that are training for an endurance run. The 46th annual Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot expects to draw a record-breaking 40,000 participants to City Hall this year.

Whether you are a serious runner, just beginning your running journey or a family wanting to come be a part of a Dallas Thanksgiving Tradition, the Trot is one of the most fun and popular high-quality events to take place in Dallas each year.

The Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot is truly Dallas way to begin Thanksgiving day. It is so exciting to see the generations of families choosing to start their holiday in such a healthy way, states Gordon Echtenkamp, President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas.

NEW Turkey Trot Race Course You spoke, and we listened to your feedback! Due to construction around the metropolitan Dallas area, the course has been re-routed to be a more enjoyable run for participants. The Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot offers two different races, with something for every age group and ability, starting at Dallas historic city hall downtown. On event morning, participants begin the race with an enjoyable run or walk through scenic downtown, Deep Ellum, through the Design District, and re-entering downtown with sights of the beautiful Dallas skyline.

Download a PDF of the 8-mile timed/8-mile untimed/5K start course maps here.

NEW Race Start Procedure The 2013 Turkey Trot introduces a new start line and timed runner corral. The start line has been pushed east of St. Paul. Moving the start line east moves the timed runner corral east of Ervay. There will be 3 access points (West, North, and South) to the corral. To ensure a safer and less crowded race, strollers and dogs will no longer be permitted in timed corral. All timed runners must be in the corral no later than 8:40 am.

NEW Race Safety This year, the Turkey Trot is being made safer with RedFlag, a mass notification system used for emergency alerts and other important information. Race participants and spectators can subscribe to be alerted via text or email about breaking safety information and other relevant updates or changes before and during the Trot. RedFlag is a service of PocketStop, LLC. PocketStop is providing the service, in partnership with the Dallas YMCA, to give event participants real-time access to important information and alerts affecting the Trot.

To subscribe to RedFlag, participants can text Trot to 444222 from their mobile phones. Text and email alerts will only be sent when deemed credible; such as important pre-race reminders, last-minute changes, severe weather warnings, or life-threatening incidents.

Dont Forget About Packet Pick-Up Avoid the race day rush and pick up your packet at Lukes Locker from November 20-27 beginning at 10:00AM. A map of the start changes will be located on the back of each race bib. Stay connected with us for race updates by Liking the Turkey Trot on Facebook. Its the fastest and easiest way to stay in the loop regarding the event, updates, results, photos, special offers, etc.

Get Social! Be sure to tag your pictures on Instagram and Twitter with #DallasTrot13, and you may be featured on our feed! Follow us at @Turkey_Trot on Twitter.

For more information on the Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot , call 214-954-0500 or to register or volunteer log on to http://www.thetrot.com.

About the Y The Y is one of the nations leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,687 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children regardless of age, income or background to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nations health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in 23 North Texas communities, the Dallas Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. http://www.ymcadallas.org

Dogs are carefree animals. They do whatever they like such as peeing, pooping, licking, barking, chewing, whining, scratching, jumping, sniffing and running around like there’s no tomorrow. As they are unable to figure out how to act on their own, they do what comes naturally to them. So, they must be trained to instill good behaviors in them.

You must know that it’s never too late to train a dog. Though it gets difficult when they grow older, but it’s never impossible. If you know the nature of your dog and some methods to deal with them, then you can train them effectively in your own way. However, if you want your dog to learn quicker, train them as early as possible. Just like the proverb, “Early bird catches the worm”, you must also train them early to get the best results.

There are lots of ways for dog training and they differ with different breeds. For instance, a training approach used for Yorkshire terrier may not work for Jack Russell terrier. Likewise, beagles also cannot be trained in the way you train your pugs. Different breed of dogs have different level of understanding and learning capacity. So, they should be trained in their own unique and effective ways.

Exception to this, there is one thing that works best for any type of breeds, and one thing that should be strictly avoided for all breeds.

Positive reinforcement

This is a simple dog training method that can be implied to any dogs, yet you can get effective results. Positive reinforcement means rewarding your dog for the good behaviors. You can reward your dogs either by giving treats or by using verbal praises. Rewards or treats will motivate and promote good behaviors in your dog. Therefore, it has been one of the effective ways for training any breed of dogs.

Old School Method

This method, which simply rely on harsh and punitive measures for training should be strictly avoided as such methods only bring abnormal and unnatural behaviors in your dog. They resent you for such behaviors and may not obey your commands as often as they used to. So, don’t ever include this method for training any breed of dogs.

German Shepherd is a kind of breed that caused different oppinion among different peple. While some see it fierce and threatening, some others, especially who had a German Shepherd look at it much more tenderedly.

The German Shepherd is often aloof – they don’t often walk right up to a stranger but size them up, as if silently figuring whether you are worth their time. Some dogs take longer than others to warm up and create a bond, but once that bond is made is a dog that will face any threat imaginable to protect their family.

It is this loyalty and sense of duty that has made the German Shepherd a dog that willingly guided the blind, works as law enforcement, herds livestock, competes not only in shows but in dog sports, is a friend to the military and performs countless duties in homes throughout the world.

In the late 1800s cavaly officer Capt. Max Von Stephanitz sought to perfect a dog for farm work. As with many animals bred for function, what was needed locally was different than the dogs available. The breed today takes the look of a defined breed but not all are the same. A dog developed as a show dog might look very different from one developed for police work, which may have a different body type from one working on the farm.

American soldiers brought the breed to the US after being introduced to the breed in the military. The breed is still today used to assist soldiers throughout the world.

By the standard, the male should be 24-26 inches at the shoulder with females 22-24. They should be longer than they are tall, with an image of power and grace. Disqualifications from show include: cropped or dropped ears, nose not mostly black, undershot jaw, docked tail and all white dogs. There are many many dogs that are larger than the standard, or all white dogs, as well as all black dogs, that are still fully German Shepherd. For those interested in details of show conformation requirements they can be found at http://www.akc.org/breeds/german_shepherd_dog/

In early development it was felt the GSD should be above everything utility and intelligence. The breed is still today a working machine…functional in the ability to cover ground easily whether after a loose cow or an escaped criminal. They are distinctive in appearance and although known by different names are the same breed throughout the world.

The GSD is one of the breeds some pet food companies have developed special formulas for. They are also many people who feed a raw meat and bones diet. An important factor in feeding German Shepherds is food selection. Do not feed for fast growth – it does not necessarily mean a bigger adult but can mean a weaker adult. High energy food that boosts fast growth should be avoided especially in the rapid growth time of 3-8 months of age. This reduces the chances of displasia later. While selection of breeding dogs and testing hips and elbows before breeding is certainly a factor, equally is diet.

Many things vary within this breed. One GSD charges fearlessly into a conflict that includes gunfire while another trembles in a thunderstorm. Some have been guilty of biting while others would never except under extreme threat threaten a human. Some are bold in any circumstance, some are borderline fearful. Handling and breeding can make an immense difference in this breed. Additionally the breeding and genetic markers for disease can affect an otherwise suitable working dog. Genetic issues affecting the eyes, skin, heart, neurological system, digestive and skeletal systems are all possible within the breed – and most are found by testing before breeding.

It is this testing and the maintaining of healthy, tested clean lines that makes a good GSD an investment. A few health issues to watch for besides the hip and elbow displasia include thyroid disorders, skin allergies, Addisons, vonWillebrand’s disease, heart murmurs, cardiomyopathy, epilepsy, wobbler syndrome and spinal bifida can all affect the breed. Many problems show up at under 2 years old. A condition called EPI, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, is another issue that can be overlooked.

A more complete list of the health issues that can affect the breed is at http://www.awsaclub.com/healthgenetics/caninegen.htm – and remember that although it can look like they are prone to every disease known to canines, many of these can be eliminated by genetics.

Although not genetic, owners of GSD should be familiar with the danger of bloat. Like many deep chested dogs, GSD is susceptible to this critical emergency that needs immediate medical attention. This condition is fast-striking and fatal.

Do not be deterred by the list of health issues in the breed – instead, use that to choose your dog wisely. Understand that without testing you have the risk of losing a dog you’ve become attached to – and it may well be worth $ 700-800 for a dog that has a healthy genetic family rather than getting one of unknown background for $ 150 then spending thousands treating problems that are lurking unseen. For a tested, working and show type dog bred for temperament, trainability and soundness do not be shocked by prices $ 1,500 or $ 2,000 and up. Many of these come with health and soundness guarantees.

Dogs of 12-15 years are not uncommon. With a reported average litter size of eight, it’s important to choose mates wisely.

The trainability of the German Shepherd is well documented. The movie “K-9” and it’s sequels revolved around a German Shepherd, as did the infamous Rin Tin Tin. The first seeing-eye dog in 1928 was a German Shepherd. The GSD is one of the most intelligent dogs in the canine world, in one test just behind the border collie and poodle. John Kennedy, Roy Rogers and Franklin D. Roosevelt kept GSD.

Schutzhund, a competition not for the faint of heart, is but one thing the GSD excells at. This competition tests the dog’s intelligence, soundness, tracking abilities, willingness to work, courage and trainability. While photos from these competitions show dogs scaling obstacles and making spectacular leaps to latch bites onto the arm of a “suspect” it’s important to remember these dogs are highly trained. They are not vicious…they are trained to get to a suspect, restrain them and ideally get them on the ground for the safety of their handlers.

No dog, German Shepherd or otherwise, should be teased or mistreated to induce aggression. The difference between an aggressive dog and a trained K-9 is extreme. A K-9’s training is based on play – an aggressive dog is based on survival, and this difference is critical to understand. It drives an aggressive dog to unspeakable acts and reflects poorly on the many great dogs of the breed that are highly trainable.

A good dog with obedience training doesn’t need special training for protection. These operate from a position of defense of the home – and the bark of a GSD is often enough to change the minds of someone who thinks they want to do harm. The natural protection instincts of a good GSD is normally sufficient to deal with a threat.

It is no surprise that there are many heroes in this breed. Ceasar, a K-9 handled by Corporal Mark Sarna of the Shaker Heights Ohio Police Department, had a resume that included drug detection, tracking suspects as well as being a certified therapy dog and friendly with children. Griff, a K-9 with the Summit County Sheriff’s Department, and his handler Deputy Kathy Wilmot is another awarded dog and a great illustration as to the unknown these dogs and their handlers can face. Called to a domestic disturbance where the suspect was threatening to burn down the house of a girlfriend with her and her kids in it, Griff tracked the suspect through freezing rain. While he wanted to continue, the humans insisted on returning to the command unit and before long a second call came in. The suspect returned to the home and was becoming violent. A very dangerous situation evolved with the suspect assaulting the dog and handlers, attempting to kill the dog hands on despite being tazered. Griff not only never gave up but never shifted position – he put himself between the suspect and his handler, willing to lay down his life if need be. After the incident was over it was learned the suspect had commited an armed robbery just hours before, was out on bond and had a previous stint of 13 years in prison.

In the dangerous work of police and military work many German Shepherds have paid the ultimate price for their instincts and training. They serve faithfully and have confronted the worst of humanity, not only on a daily basis but also in events such as the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombing.

Because these are bold, intelligent and trainable dogs they must have a home that will TRAIN them. Select a good, healthy dog and put the time into training them. This doesn’t take 6-8 hours per day…it’s teaching things in small ways on a day to day basis. Left to their own devices they will be unhappy and find their own means to entertain themselves, and you probably won’t like it. A bored, untrained dog can destroy vehicles, homes and lives. Once trained then you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful, functional, intelligent and well mannered dog.

For the right home the German Shepherd is a wonderful companion and security that doesn’t fail with power outages. If yours is the right home, do your homework and find the best dog for you. They’re a wonderful breed with a big heart.

Garmin/Tri tronics PRO 550

Dogs Unlimited is excited to introduce 3 new products from Garmin that are sure to light a spark in the world of hunting dog trainers and dog training enthusiasts.

The recent purchase of Tri-Tronics by Garmin has ushered in a new lineup of advanced electronic dog training collars. These three new collar designs–the PRO 550, PRO 70, and PRO Trashbreaker–are based on Tri-Tronics’ iconic Field and Pro Series systems, and use proven Tri-Tronics technology. But Garmin has added its own twist to make them an even better dog training tool than their predecessors.

A new feature that Garmin has added to this class of dog training collar is the built-in BarkLimiter, a no-bark collar built into the Dog Device collar itself. The BarkLimiter is activated by the Dog Device and features Autorise technology which automatically adjusts to the appropriate correction level to help stop unwanted barking.

Alan O. Davison, owner of Dogs Unlimited comments, “Garmin just upped the ante with its recent introduction of these three dog training collars. It’s absolutely ingenious of them to include the BarkLimiter. It’s something that our customers have been asking for. When it comes to their customers, Garmin listens.”

While similar in appearance, these electronic dog collars are actually very different in their overall functionality to the user. Below is a brief description of each collar’s features:

PRO 550 – 1 mile range, train up to 3 dogs at once, total of 21 levels of momentary and continuous corrective stimulation, vibration and tone correction, the ability to activate available accessories from the transmitter, and an LED Beacon Light on the Dog Device that can be seen up to 100 yards. PRO 70 – 1 mile range, train up to 6 dogs at once, 6 levels of continuous corrective stimulation, tone correction, and an LED Beacon Light on the Dog Device that can be seen up to 100 yards. PRO Trashbreaker – 4 mile range, train up to 9 dogs at once, 6 levels of continuous corrective stimulation, tone correction, and an LED Beacon Light on the Dog Device that can be seen up to 100 yards.

Garmin is always on the cutting edge of whatever they do, and electronic dog training collars guarantees to be no different. Proven Tri-Tronics technology and the addition of exciting new features show that Garmin is serious about taking electronic dog training collars to the next level of performance.