CC Purses & Quick Look @ "Concealed Chic" CC Purses on Etsy

Should you carry your gun in a purse?

That depends. Are you a responsible gun owner? Are you usually aware of who is nearby? Do you tend to go anywhere where you want to set down your purse for awhile?

If a woman makes the decision to put a loaded firearm into a purse or bag that can be easily removed from her body, set down, or stolen, it's extremely important for her to be aware of her surroundings and make sure that no one has access to her purse.

I can't answer those questions for anyone other than myself, but I usually find a way to make my outfit work with an IWB holster because on-body carry is so much more secure. That being said, purse carry is SO convenient for a woman (especially in the summer), that I do occasionally carry my firearm inside a purse when concealed carry is just way too much of a struggle with what I want to wear. If it's 90 degrees outside, I want to wear a fitted tank top and shorts, and I want to run to the store with something larger than a .380, the positives associated with purse carry make it a very appealing option.

Pros:

You can carry a purse with an outfit where no other CC option seems to work.
You aren't limited to a small gun (you can carry a full-size gun in a purse).
Multiple firearms will fit (which is nice if you bought a new gun and don't have a holster yet).
It's a method that allows you to carry a backup gun (if you are carrying on-body as well).

Cons:

Someone could steal your purse (and then they'd have your gun too).
You can't set your purse down anywhere or let anyone have access to it.

Now, I'm a responsible gun owner and I try to keep my head on a 360 degree swivel as much as possible. I know who is around me, I am always in control of my firearm no matter what carry method I choose for the day, and I know exactly where I'm going to be before I go there. I am ok with carrying my gun in a purse on occasion as long as I never set it down and I practice drawing from it frequently enough that I feel confident that I can draw from it quickly.

For anyone who decides to carry their gun in a purse, I highly recommend using an actual gun purse that has a secure, dedicated holster pocket with an attached internal holster (so your holster won't come out with your gun). Only your gun should go inside the holster pocket, and your gun should be inside a holster that protects your trigger from any sort of accidental discharge and also allows you to get a consistent grip every time you draw the gun. You don't want to just toss your gun into a purse filled with clutter (even if it's inside some type of holster that's loose in your purse) because if you need to draw it in an emergency, you'll probably grab it at some weird angle, pull it out with your holster still attached, or even worse, not be able to find it in your purse at all!

Although purse carry has never been my main method for concealed carry, my daily purse for the past several years has been a gun purse. If you're going to carry a purse anyway, why not have one with a dedicated holster and holster pocket (just in case purse carry is the only holster method you have that will work in a certain situation)?

Many of you are already familiar with my Raven Bag (GTM-099) from Gun Tote'n Mamas (shown in my previous Youtube video), which I LOVE and has been my daily purse for over 2 1/2 years... but I recently got a new gun purse that I'd like to share with you because I think it's just incredible. I will be doing a full video review on it later, giving a lot more details on the design and features, (video shown below!), but here I just want to give you a quick look in case you are currently in the market for a unique, high quality concealed carry purse that is a bit larger (and much more spacious) than the small Raven Bag I showed (and had been using) previously.

This fun, one-of-a-kind purse was handmade by Julie, of "Concealed Chic" on Etsy, and the quality and attention to detail are exceptional. Trust me when I say that this purse is quite possibly one of the most well thought-out concealed carry purses on the market. You probably wouldn't think that so much trial and error could go into something as simple as a purse that has a pocket for gun, but the small, special details that Julie has put into her design are so essential to the flawless use of this purse as a concealed carry method. The holster pocket is ambidextrous, with a zipper on each side, and drawing from the holster pocket (and the holster) feels smooth & natural. The wide straps make the purse feel very comfortable on your shoulder, and it's sturdy and doesn't sag, even with a heavy, full-sized gun. She includes two matching holsters of different sizes to choose from, and between the two, they will accommodate pretty much any sized gun (that's larger than a tiny .380). My Ruger LCR, Ruger SP101 w/ 3" barrel, M&P Shield, and M&P Compact 9mm all fit great in the smaller of the two holsters included.

All of her concealed carry purses have the exact same construction and pocket layout, but she uses a lot of different fabrics. Her fabric patterns range from fun & funky to more casual & classy, and the ones she has for sale tend to change as she sells one purse and makes another. Priced at $165, you get what you pay for. Many concealed carry purses are more expensive and don't have nearly the attention to detail. Concealed Carry Purses from Concealed Chic are extremely unique, durable, well-designed, hand-made in the USA, spacious enough for the lady who likes to carry a lot with her, and each purse takes Julie over 8 hours to make. I'll get into more of the purse specifics in my later video, but in the meantime, take a look at Concealed Chic if you've been looking for something more fun than the regular concealed carry bags on the market. If you find a pattern you like, I can guarantee you won't be disappointed. 

Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ConcealedChic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Concealed-Chic/585789701443556

** ADDED LATER: Additional Design Info and Excellent Things to Consider (from Julie, owner & creator of Concealed Chic Purses):

"Falia, I noticed you had a couple comments about the article/purse on your site and wanted to answer some of the questions you and your reader(s) had or may have.

 

Regarding the cross body purse style...this particular purse design would not work well for a cross body strap due to the shape of the top bag band, but I know the cross body style is very popular and I have had several requests for a cross body purse design.  My hope is that I will have a cross body design available early fall (September or October).

 

As for the cable reinforced strap...I know there are some CC purses with this feature and I did consider this early in my design, along with the locking zipper feature also available on many CC purses.  I gave both of these features a lot of thought and consideration, including discussions and input from some law enforcement, firearms instructors and other women before making my decision.  In the end I decided not to include these features and here's why.

 

A cable reinforced "slash resistant" strap at first thought seems like a good idea.  It made me feel that I would somehow be "safer", but after some serious thought I now believe it could actually be more dangerous.  If a thief is in close proximity and has a knife trying to slash your strap expecting it to release the purse as they take off running and it doesn't release, my thought is now I'm going to the ground and potentially in ground level brawl with someone that has a knife in their hand.  No thank you!  Now I don't want them to have my wallet or my gun either, but my preference is to not get hurt in this scenario.  If you're lucky maybe the thief would feel defeated and just run off if the strap didn't release, but I'm not willing to take that chance myself.  I don't know the statistics on how often "slash & grab" crimes actually occur and I'm sure it does happen.  While thieves can be very stupid they also don't like to work very hard at their chosen profession and are likely to target ladies that are distracted and not holding on to their purse.  I just try to be aware of my surroundings and tend to keep my hand on my purse strap whenever I can.  Also I carry my purse on my left shoulder and if I am with someone else I always try to walk to their right, so my purse is between us and therefore less of a potential target.

 

I also think the locking zipper features give the user a false sense of security.  Again at first thought I felt this would be safer, thinking then I could put my purse down if I lock my gun inside, right?  Uh, no...still not a good idea!  First of all little kids are very clever, they somehow seem to get into things you would never think possible.  And the keys for these locking zippers are very simple universal keys...the same key unlocks every zipper out there.  If I have my loaded gun in my purse I make sure I am in control of it at all times...lock or no lock.  The other problem with these locks is the potential to lock the zipper(s) and realize you forgot to unlock it at a time you needed to access it in an emergency.  Drawing from a purse already takes a little longer than a hip holster, you don't want to have to find your key first."

RE: Comment Below About Locking Zippers (email I received later from Julie, owner of Concealed Chic): "I saw the comment from "No Kidding" regarding the locking zipper, which is a scenario I also had not thought of.  However, I wasn't sure about the legality of using a purse with a locking zipper in this scenario.  I did some checking and asked my husband to post the question to police and lawyers via AR15 forum he is a monitor for.  Sounds like the law and interpretation of the law may vary state to state, so a general statement that this is OK or not OK is really hard to make.  I personally would recommend that any woman who chooses to use the locking zipper feature on a purse in this capacity educate themselves the best they can about the law and requirements for any state(s) they will be traveling.  Even then we are still subject to how those laws are interpreted by a judge or jury, but hopefully we make better decisions for ourselves the more information we are "armed" with.  I'll let you read the conversation from the forum (see link below) and decide if you want to add any additional comments to your website."

 

http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/topic/139558-question-for-the-police-and-lawyers-on-here/

 

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Thank you Julie!! I appreciate your husband posting this question to the forum and giving me the additional info to add to my post.  I agree - It's extremely important to know your local laws! In a situation like this, I personally think that a lot of it may still depend on the particular cop you get pulled over by. Even if it is legal to lock your gun inside your purse, the cop may not know that, and you could still be hassled and dragged in. It may be legal and ok for your gun to be in a locked box underneath your backseat (or in your trunk if you have one), but a cop may not be ok with it in a locked purse. Even if it is legal, again, I do think you could still get hassled about it or end up in legal trouble (depending on the cop). Just my personal thoughts.

My Video Review:

Two Pieces of Advice & What I'd Carry

2 questions I received via email:

1.) "With all your experiences so far, in terms of firearms, gear, and prepping, what is a little bit of knowledge or advice that you would give to someone?"

Here about two pieces of advice that I think are equally important....

First piece of advice: Try to stay as healthy as you can by eating right, building strength, and keeping fit.

Just a small amount of change and consistency in terms of diet, cardio, and strength training can go a long way in giving you a much better chance of survival in any sort of economic crisis, natural disaster, sickness outbreak, or societal collapse. If your immune system is strong, you'll be better able to resist infection & fight off illness, and an overall improvement in health & fitness can make you feel more alert and allow you to concentrate better, walk further, run faster, hike longer, carry more weight in your pack, and even maneuver your firearms better (and handle them for a longer duration of time). Sure, it's easier said than done to "lose weight and get fit", but it's extremely important for both you and your family (who needs you around as long as possible). The main thing is to come up with a plan (and a goal) and become determined & motivated enough to stick with it. I personally believe that staying healthy is the single, most important thing you can do to give yourself a fighting chance in this crazy world that's full of uncertainties. Some great changes you can make include: drink more water, eat less (more frequently) (as opposed to fewer, huge meals), use the stairs, park at the back of the lot so you walk further, eat more real food (nuts, fruits, whole grains, fish, etc.) and fewer packaged products containing sugar and white flour, stay away from artificial sweeteners (your body doesn't know what to do with things that are chemically altered), do pushups and sit-ups more often, quit drinking, quit smoking, exercise more, and eat more vegetables (especially greens). There has to be at least one vegetable you like, right? My personal favorites are broccoli, peas, beans, zucchini, carrots, red peppers, spinach, kale, lettuce and tomato, so that's what is growing in my garden right now. These photos are from a couple weeks ago. YUM. Good luck on your own goals & health plan. I still need to make some changes to mine as well.

Second piece of advice: In terms of preparing for disasters and times of crisis, START YESTERDAY. 

In other words, hopefully you've already started stocking up on the essential items you use on a regular basis and don't think you can live without for very long. If you haven't, then start today, and get a little more prepared every single day hereafter. It's extremely important to be prepared for unexpected disasters - even if it's more likely that your unexpected disaster might be loss of income, vehicle trouble, or power outage as opposed to a zombie attack or earthquake. You just never know when the world might go lights out, with no communication. It doesn't take much for the Internet to be shut down or for our cellphones to turn into useless bricks. It also doesn't take much for everyone to panic and drain the fuel tanks at the gas station or empty the shelves at the supermarket. As shown with the current availability of ammunition, it really doesn't take much for the demand to overwhelm the supply and leave us with whatever we already have in our safe or our stockpile... When panic buying like that starts to happen, most people don't even realize what's happening until it's too late. You need to stay ahead of the storm and be ready for whatever might happen tomorrow.

Our survival depends on things such as food, water, shelter, and warmth, so it's important to have those things (or the ability to make those things) in case of an emergency. Our health & comfort are also dependent upon various personal hygiene and household items such as dental floss, soap, toilet paper, medical supplies, and laundry detergent. If you can, it's best to learn some simple skills that will help you to keep living comfortably even if you run out of supplies (such as making your own laundry detergent & soap or purifying water); but if you don't have the time or energy for that, you should at least stock up on enough necessities to hold you over for awhile in case something happens.

Stocking up on food and supplies can get a bit expensive (and overwhelming when you first make a list of what you need), but it's not too bad if you start small, just picking up a few extra things here and there. Fill up an extra can of gas next time you fuel up your vehicle. Every time you go to the store, throw in an extra item or two - a blanket, box of band-aids, tube of toothpaste, extra package of TP, pack of lighters, batteries, a bag of votive candles, a bundle of firewood, an axe, a few cans of food, or anything like that. Just a little at a time will add up to a great sense of security and peace of mind for you and your family over time.
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2.) "Also, what would you carry on you if you found yourself constrained to just one (or two) things?"

I'll have to sort of cheat on this, because to me, one or two things means whatever I can carry with me while still having my hands free to do whatever I need to do.

I would carry........ A BACKPACK - a lightweight backpack (aka: go-bag or bug-out-bag) that's full of small, useful gear. My pack would contain essential things to help me stay nourished, hydrated, warm, dry, comfortable, and clean.

In my backpack would be such things as:

cellphone, knife, spare M&P magazine (for the M&P9C in my waistband), flint/steel firestarter, 2 lighters, trick-light birthday candles, water purification tablets, water bottle, headlamp, my AAA flashlight and a few spare AAA batteries, small poncho, tiny home-made fishing kit & sewing kit (each inside a little film canister), unwaxed dental floss, wallet (containing cash, ID, passport card, & carry permit), prepaid calling card (yes, for a payphone), tiny USB flash drive (with important scanned documents, photos, & information on it), hand-crank radio, pair of nail clippers, tweezers, small mirror, toothbrush, small pack towel, small roll of duct tape, write-in-the rain notepad & pen, large black trash bag & small space blanket, pair of socks, small bottle of Campsuds liquid soap, mosquito headnet, titanium spork, esbit pocket stove & esbit fuel tablets, a folded piece of aluminum foil, my titanium Snow Peak Trek 700 mug, my Leatherman Juice S2, my Leatherman Style-CS mini keychain, some paracord, a box of contact lenses & tiny bottle of saline, pair of glasses, and a small medical kit (with basic essentials, including moleskin in case I'm on foot). I might also include my travel hammock (it doesn't take up much space & it's very lightweight, but it's the largest item in this list). For food I would probably toss in a jar of peanut butter, a few granola bars, a bunch of green tea packets, some Werther's Originals, and some oatmeal packets. Lastly, if I could handle just a little more weight in the pack, I'd toss in my 22 revolver and small box of 22 ammo.

For more ideas of what to put into a go-bag, check out my previous post: http://www.faliaphotography.com/2010/12/bug-out-bags-survival-kits-general-info.html

What would you carry with you if you were just constrained to one or two things?

Proper 3-Dot Sight Picture & Alignment for Handguns

It's very important to have a proper sight picture & proper sight alignment before firing your handgun at your target. You should also train with all your firearms in both light and dark environments so you don't panic under stress in a situation you aren't ready for, such as shooting in the dark and suddenly being unable to find your sights.

 

This post applies to common 3-dot sights. There are a lot of other sight options out there that require different sight pictures, such as Heinie Straight Eight Sights, which have 2 dots, or XS Sights, which have a front dot and a V notch in the rear.

 

There are also different ways to position your sights onto your target (depending on what you prefer or whether or not your pistol sights can be adjusted), but this is the sight picture style I train with: by centering the top of my sights into the center of the target.

 

For target shooting, I focus my eyes on the front sight - This leaves my front sight clear and in-focus, while my rear sight becomes slightly blurred and out-of-focus. For fast, defensive shooting, I instead focus my eyes on the target - This leaves my target in-focus, while my sights are slightly out-of-focus (but the 3 dots are lined up on target).

 

While slow target shooting for accuracy, sometimes I will close one eye. For quick, defensive shooting, I always practice shooting with both eyes open.

 

Some people focus on their sights and target differently, but this is what works for me.

 

IN DAYLIGHT:

 

Line up the front sight post in the  middle of the notch in the rear sight. Keep the top of the front sight post level with the top of the rear sight, while keeping an equal gap of daylight on each side of the front sight post.

 

IN DARKNESS, with NIGHT SIGHTS:

 

While shooting in the dark with night sights, you will not be able to see lights gaps on the sides of your front sight post very well, if at all. In this case, line up the glowing dots on your night sights so they are all level across the target before firing.

 

 

IN DARKNESS, with PISTOL LIGHT:

 

While shooting with a light attached to your pistol, you won't be able to see the dots on your sights well, so you have to get the same sight picture without the dots. Line up the front sight post in the middle of the notch in the rear sight (just like you would in daylight). Keep your sights level across the top, while keeping an equal gap of light on each side of the front sight post.

 

 

Night sights are extremely important for low light shooting and are a great investment. You should also have a light attached to your pistol (if possible) or have a hand held light for low light situations so you can identify your target.

 

Regardless of whether or not you have night sights or a pistol light, you should train and be able to shoot in low-light situations in case you ever have to.

 

Note - There are many options for handgun sights. Some will have a larger gap (on each side of the front sight when lined up with the rear sight), some will have a smaller gap, and some will have hardly any at all. Not all 3-dot sight alignments will look exactly like these photos.

 

All 3 of these images were taken out of my videos on the following videos on the SIG 1911 Extreme & the SIG 1911 Spartan:

 

 



My Thoughts & Tips on Training Pups - for Home, Defense, & The Great Outdoors

If you've seen any of my Youtube videos or are a friend of mine on Facebook, you've probably already seen Tika & Sako at least once or twice. These little black lab sisters were 2 bouncy, sleepy little fur balls when I first got them at 7 weeks old, but they are quickly turning into the sweet, smart, protectors that I was hoping they would become. Yes, they were named after Finnish rifles (and rifle manufacturer) - But no surprise there, with my Scandinavian heritage and obvious passion for firearms. Now that they're 9 months old, I'm wishing I'd had a little more time to soak in more of their puppy cuteness...  but I guess it's ok that they're growing up since I've sure had my work cut out for me with training them (and learning how to train them) when they were very young - especially since these are the first dogs I've ever had.

Now I think it's safe to say that many people who love firearms & the great outdoors also love dogs as well. I say this because dogs can be excellent companions, wonderful hunting partners, and perfect alarms for home defense! If an intruder is on the prowl outside your home, your dog's barking might scare them away OR at least give you a heads-up to have your firearm out & ready to protect & defend. One of my personal goals is to eventually bird hunt with Tika & Sako (yes, training for that starts when they're very young....), but I mainly got them because I wanted 2 guard dogs that could work together & keep a few extra eyes (and ears) out at home.

I get asked a lot of questions regarding how I've been training these girls to act so well behaved, so I'm writing this post to share some tips with you that have worked for me so far ... Mind you, I'm no expert, and I've had my share of puppy ups and downs. So if you are a dog professional, or you have some tips of your own, go ahead and share them below. I'm just here to give you a few of my own thoughts and basic learning experiences with raising Tika & Sako so far.

My first tip: Start training dogs when they are just young puppies - anytime after 7 weeks old, but as early as possible. Ever heard of the phrase "You can't teach an old dog new tricks?" It's much easier to teach behaviors and commands when a dog is young and learning everything for the first time, than it is to change the way a dog has already been behaving the same way for a long time.

Second, I recommend the book "Water Dog," by Richard Wolters - It's definitely an older book for training Labrador Retrievers, but it was recommended to me by someone who has had the best trained labs I've ever met. There is also a DVD version that's worth watching (It is based on Richard Wolter's book, and has similar, yet slightly different/updated information) - It is titled "Water Dog," by Charles Jurney. I have both versions, and I think it's nice to have both since the book gives more detailed training information for commands, but it's also helpful to actually see the visual training techniques shown in the DVD version.  I don't use  all of the training methods in this book or DVD, but I do use certain aspects, along with some other training tips I've read about and come up with on my own.

 

Third: Spend as much time as you can with your puppies during their first year - especially during their first 2-6 months of age.  Play with them a lot, and also dedicate a lot of time to training (in short sessions, so they don't lose interest) and be prepared for a lot of repetition!

 

Fourth: Most command training really isn't very hard - Puppies want to please you, so just show them what you want them to do and then praise them for it! They will want to repeat the things that make you happy. Don't be too hard on puppies with punishment when they are young - Praise is so much better! Praise them a lot, every time they do something good. Praise them when they are being quiet and playing with their toys. Praise them whenever you show them the correct thing to do. Let them know whenever they are bad by saying no - and then show them what they should be doing instead.

 

Those are just some general tips, but here are some more specific questions I've been asked:

1) "How did you get them to stop chewing on everything?"
 
Puppies like to chew everything when they are little, so my girls learned the word "no" early on. I made sure to puppy-proof my upstairs by using baby gates and keeping everything out of puppy reach, but they still wanted to chew baseboards, carpet, each other, etc.....  So every time they were chewing on something they weren't supposed to be, I would raise my voice and sternly say "no." Sometimes I would smack the floor in front of them to let them know I was mad, and then I would give them an appropriate toy to chew on instead (and praise them to let them know that chewing on the toy was a good thing). I definitely used praise more than punishment, but if they were ever really bad, I leashed them to a stationary object (towel bar or chair) and ignored them for a little while. It was hard, because puppies don't like being ignored (and it's hard to ignore your sweet little puppies!) - But once I let them free, they were usually quite apologetic and wanted to cuddle.

2) "How did you get them to not bite eachother?"

Puppies will also bite you (or each other) when their playing, until you teach them not to. They don't understand that their teeth are sharp, so when Tika & Sako would bite, I would say "no biting" and gently push their lip against their tooth so they could see that it causes pain. I would then give them a toy to chew on instead. In the same way, they also learned the word "easy," to keep them from biting my hand when I was giving them a treat or food.

3) "What are their favorite toys and treats?"

Starmark (not so) "Everlasting Treat Ball"

For dog toys, go ahead and call me an overprotective mother, but I'm really particular with what ones they get, and I don't leave toys in their kennel at night or whenever I'm not around... They don't get anything with parts they can chew off and they don't get any toys with fuzzy stuff they can pull off and eat. I also don't particularly like giving them anything that squeaks... They loved chewing on puppy nylabones when they were younger (which I stopped giving to them once they became more aggressive chewers)... and they still love Kong toys, orange "Chuckit!" Balls, and West Paw Zogoflex toys. Tika specifically loves the "West Paw Tux," and Sako & her both are obsessed with their Nylabone Puppy Teething Rings. I try to only buy toys that are basically indestructible and will last a long time... especially for Tika, who can be a very destructive chewer. I do want to add that the medium sized "Starmark Everlasting Fun Ball" was really not "everlasting" at ALL in Tika's case. She had it ripped apart in a matter of hours. So now I'm using the large size of that ball for playing fetch ONLY, and they do love it for that. Oh, they also have a favorite multicam toy that matches their multicam collars, but sadly the company that made it for me has discontinued all their dog toys. Such a bummer because I would have bought a 2nd one.

In terms of treats, I only give them items that are corn, soy and wheat-free. They love occasional peanut butter, hard-boiled eggs, and banana, orange or apple slices (don't give dogs the seeds!)... and for some reason Tika & Sako don't get tired of ice cubes. Ice cubes are one of their favorite things to crunch on, and they've been great for me as training rewards since they don't upset their stomachs at all. One viewer recommended frozen carrots to me as a great frozen treat for teething puppies (good idea!), and another idea I came across for teething puppies was to freeze wet washcloths for them to chew on. I thought that worked ok, but they thawed out a bit too quick for me. By the way, DON'T give your dogs grapes, avocado, chocolate, onions, garlic, nutmeg, raisins, prunes, macadamia nuts, or raw eggs! All bad.

4) "How did you potty train them to ring a bell on the doorknob to go outside?"

They actually picked that up really quick, and if I remember correctly, they were already learning to jump at the bell during the first week I had them. The main thing was paying them CONSTANT ATTENTION & watching them at all times & being able to catch them whenever they would squat or start to pee on the floor. I kept them in the kitchen at first, on tile floor, and I would run over & grab them in the middle of it, say "no," pick them up, and rush them to the door. I'd ask if they have to go out, then ring the bell & lift them up towards the bell, and then I'd take them outside to go to the bathroom. Sometimes they would finish going to the bathroom outside, but if they had already completely gone on the floor, the door/bell/outside routine still gave them the correct idea of where they were supposed to go next time. If I wasn't fast enough to catch them in the act, I would point to what they did on the floor and say "no." Then I still carried them to the door and repeated the same process: Ask if they had to go out, ring the bell, lift them up to the bell, and take them outside. It took a lot of daily repetition (and patience), but within a few days they were headed towards the door and attempting to jump at the bell.

Since I had two of them to potty train at the same time, it also helped me to write down what times they were each going #1 and #2 - Then I had an easier time keeping track of when they might have to go during the day. I've always fed them at the same time in the morning and the same time at night, so that also helps them go to the bathroom at roughly the same times each day (even though those times continually change as they are getting bigger).

The hardest part of potty training, in my opinion, was getting them to the point where they could stay in their kennels all night without having to go outside. I had to sleep in the living room next to their kennels for quite a while because they could only make it a few hours without going to the bathroom. And trust me - if they accidentally go to the bathroom in their kennel, it's bad for more reasons than one! Of course it's messy, but they can start learning bad habits - I also read that some dogs (disgustingly enough) might even have the tendency to hide what they've done by eating it (since they know it's bad), and that in itself would have several terrible consequences. By the way, "Simple Solution" is a potty training miracle for your carpets (otherwise your pups might have a tendency to keep going to the bathroom in the same spot on your floors). I've gone through quite a bit of Simple Solution and it works GREAT.

5) "How did you get them to  come, sit, and lie down? Are you teaching them any other commands?"

Again, there are a lot of good training techniques and tips for basic commands in the "Water Dog" book listed above or various other Labrador Retriever training books. I personally did a lot of repetition, showing them what I wanted them to do when I said each command. I would also spend a lot of time on each command separately, and I would give them a piece of dog food (along with praise) whenever they did it right. For "sit" I'd say "sit" and then push their bottom down to the floor. Then I would say "good girl" and give them a piece of dog food. For "lie down," I did basically the same thing (over and over again). I'd say "lie down," while I pushed them all the way to the floor. Then I would say "good girl" and give them a piece of dog food. "Come" was also taught using a little piece of dog food - so they always wanted to come to me whenever I said it.. At first they might have actually thought "Come" meant "Food" - But after awhile I gradually switched to using a praise ("good girl") and a Starmark dog clicker instead of giving food (using both food & the clicker at the same time, and then eventually just the clicker). For other commands, so far they've learned "easy," "give," "drop it," "go get it," "stay," "up," "down," "kennel," and "heel" (among other various commands and miscellaneous words such as food, ball, deck.....). Also, while training them with verbal commands, I often used silent commands (hand signals) at the same time... so now, for instance, I can raise one finger and they'll sit... and if I make my hand flat, they'll lie down. They've also been trained to not eat out of their food dish until they have the go-ahead hand signal (even when they are side by side, and one gets the signal before the other). They are very good girls, and it's definitely best to teach them these things when they're young since they don't know any other way yet (only what we teach them).

6) "They look so healthy & have such shiny coats. What do you feed them?"

Everyone has their own opinion of what you should feed your dogs, so I'll answer this question, but I'd prefer not to get into a debate about what's best. There are benefits and risks to a "raw diet," as well as many different brands of dog food. I have personally chosen to feed Tika & Sako a dry Large Breed Puppy food that is Corn-Free, Soy-Free, and Wheat-Free. I've tried a few different brands, but the one they like right now is "Fromm Family." I also make sure they get a lot of water (including water added to their dry food) and occasionally give them apple (no seeds!), orange, or banana slices.... or chicken or hard-boiled egg (if I'm cooking either one).

7) "How are you training them to be guard dogs?"

I don't like listening to barking dogs (does anyone?) and I don't want my dogs to bark at the people who I tell them are ok, but I DO want them to be cautious of strangers and to bark if there is stranger-danger. I don't know about for most dogs, but it seems instinctual for Tika & Sako to want to protect their home territory. After so many months, I'm happy to say that Sako just started barking on her own whenever she heard something outside... and then Tika started following her lead. Of course I don't want them to bark at everything, so I have been teaching them "Quiet," by saying "Quiet" while firmly holding their muzzle closed with my hand, BUT when they are REALLY concerned about something they hear (or if the doorbell rings), boy do they go crazy! Their barks make them sound much bigger than they are, and I actually encourage them to bark by saying "Who is that?" and looking out the window (whenever someone comes to the door or pulls in the driveway).

8) "Have they gone shooting with you? How do they handle the sound of gunshots?"

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to take them shooting with me yet, and I'm unable to shoot at my house... So, just as shown in the photo above, I'm getting Tika & Sako used to guns at home, by shooting an awesomely accurate Daisy BB Gun that's probably 20 years old and still going strong. BB guns are super fun for VERY cheap target practice, plinking at home, and also getting your dogs a little more used to firearms. I also have a Walther CO2 pellet pistol as another option for getting them used to guns in the backyard, and cap guns OR airsoft guns are other good choices (as long as airsoft BBs aren't laying all around for your dogs to eat). I don't have an airsoft gun now, but I'd like to get one for some shooting practice in my living room - I used to shoot an airsoft gun in my living room years ago, and it worked great to tape a target to the front of a cardboard box so that all the little plastic airsoft BBs would get caught inside the box. It made for very easy cleanup and a lot of fun. Once I actually get them out shooting with me, I'm going to start by shooting suppressed firearms, to get them used to a little more noise -  then 22 calibers - and finally I'll slowly let them get more comfortable with the sounds of higher calibers.

Hope you all found this interesting! If you have any training tips of your own, please leave them in the comments below.

SAKO

TIKA

Tika & Sako on YouTube:

 

* Meet Tika & Sako (My Black Lab Puppies!!) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M30iyNN9Ys&feature=share&list=PL716AF4827CED5FD9

* My Black Lab Puppies (12 to 16 weeks old) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mGS3bEmsNA&feature=share&list=PL716AF4827CED5FD9

* Happy Easter! (from me & my girls) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kswxprzee70&feature=share&list=PL716AF4827CED5FD9

* Tika & Sako - More Puppy Footage - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtcs-xVlcsY&list=PL716AF4827CED5FD9&index=15

* Tika & Sako - My Black Labs at 10 Months Old - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSaDgQ3MgRo&list=PL716AF4827CED5FD9&index=16

Happy Independence Day! (& WeaponStickers.com Giveaway)

Today commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Thank you John Hancock, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and so many others for your perseverance and love for our country, and for fighting for our US Independence from British rule!

Even though I haven't seen it in probably 15 years, I used to watch the 1972 musical "1776" with my family every year on the 4th. Now that I'm older, instead I celebrate the 4th by remembering (our forefathers, signers of the Declaration of Independence, and those who fought in the Revolutionary War) and also just being thankful for the freedoms that we have because of the many individuals who have stood up for them. Our United States freedom did not come easily back in the 1700s - and we will continually be fighting to preserve many of the freedoms that we have today. Instead of lighting off the traditional fireworks or sparklers, I'd personally like to make my 4th a range day and fire off some shots to celebrate. How do you celebrate the 4th?

Speaking of freedom, firearms, and our forefathers, www.WeaponStickers.com, (my favorite sticker site!) is having an Independence Day Giveaway ~ Shop online on their site before Midnight on July 7th and get 4 free stickers added to your order! If you haven't been to their site before, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. And if you have been to their site before, now's a great time to make a return visit :) Happy 4th to you all!


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