Also. . .

Santa Barbara-based Big Dog Holdings Inc. reported third-quarter earnings of $1.6 million, or 15 cents per share, compared with $755,000, or 7 cents, a year ago. . . . Oakland-based Crown Vantage Inc. said it sold 108,000 acres of timberland in New England and the Southeast for $36 million to pay off long-term bank debt. . . . San Francisco-based Charles Schwab & Co. said it will improve customer service after clients using the firm’s telephone and Web-based services experienced access problems during volatile market conditions this week. Schwab said it handled 1.5 million customer trades during Tuesday’s hectic session--nearly four times the brokerage’s normal daily volume. Schwab said the branch commission waiver program will remain in effect while market volumes are volatile.