Monday, 30 April 2012
Eliminating Shedding Problems Through Proper Grooming Tools
- Have you ever noticed what when your dog comes back from the groomer his coat is shiny and he does not shed very much for the next few days or, if you’re lucky, the next week?
Here is a list of equipment a professional groomer will use:
- Slicker brush – used on shorter haired dogs and some non-shedding breed.
- Rake – These are great for use on long haired dogs and those with a heavy undercoat.
Keep in mind that some of this equipment may be difficult to find at a discount department store but you may be able to find it at a pet shop or specialty store or through online retailers. Once you use them though, you’ll wish you had found them a long time ago!
How to Potty Train a Dog – House Training a Puppy Techniques
How to potty train a dog is one of the most challenging things
you’ll face as a pet owner. However, its not impossible and anyone can
do it.
Do you have an adorable puppy that you are trying to potty train? Is your dog using the bathroom in the house despite your best efforts? You love your pet, but you want to teach them to respect your house. I’ll guide you through some common dog training information that will give you the tools you need to properly train your puppy.
The most important thing to consider when training your puppy is to establish the relationship properly. Communication is the deciding factor when dealing with your new companion. Being upbeat, positive and enthusiastic reinforces your position with your puppy. Puppies love praise and they love to please their owners, by communicating with your dog in this manner you reassure them that they are doing what you want.
Some of the key factors to remember when training your dog are, Establish the Relationship – Proper Communication – Patience through Repetition.
Puppies are not born with instincts that tell them they need to go to the bathroom outside. You have to train them to go outside to use the bathroom. Dogs love praise and this type of communication maintains positive for your pet. Rewarding your dog with praise and treats helps to reinforce that you are pleased with what they have done.
Be sure to realize that training a dog requires patience and repetition, don’t get frustrated with your dog if you think they aren’t progressing, realize that it takes time to teach them. They aren’t going to learn what you want to teach them over night, but they will progress.
A very important thing to remember is that potty training a dog is just the beginning. Properly training your dog to be obedient and to respect your family and belongings will maximize the enjoyment of having a dog in the family.
If you want to learn how to teach your dog the most common training techniques and questions you need to visit my How to potty train a dog information guide.
Do you have an adorable puppy that you are trying to potty train? Is your dog using the bathroom in the house despite your best efforts? You love your pet, but you want to teach them to respect your house. I’ll guide you through some common dog training information that will give you the tools you need to properly train your puppy.
The most important thing to consider when training your puppy is to establish the relationship properly. Communication is the deciding factor when dealing with your new companion. Being upbeat, positive and enthusiastic reinforces your position with your puppy. Puppies love praise and they love to please their owners, by communicating with your dog in this manner you reassure them that they are doing what you want.
Some of the key factors to remember when training your dog are, Establish the Relationship – Proper Communication – Patience through Repetition.
Puppies are not born with instincts that tell them they need to go to the bathroom outside. You have to train them to go outside to use the bathroom. Dogs love praise and this type of communication maintains positive for your pet. Rewarding your dog with praise and treats helps to reinforce that you are pleased with what they have done.
Be sure to realize that training a dog requires patience and repetition, don’t get frustrated with your dog if you think they aren’t progressing, realize that it takes time to teach them. They aren’t going to learn what you want to teach them over night, but they will progress.
A very important thing to remember is that potty training a dog is just the beginning. Properly training your dog to be obedient and to respect your family and belongings will maximize the enjoyment of having a dog in the family.
If you want to learn how to teach your dog the most common training techniques and questions you need to visit my How to potty train a dog information guide.
Tips for Training Newborn Puppies – Guidelines for Puppy Potty Training, Puppy Biting & Socializing
What could be more irresistible than a cute, cuddly puppy? But
puppy grows up fast so the training side of having a puppy is one aspect
that you need to get a handle on quickly and start implementing as
soon as she comes home.
For both you and puppy, the training sessions should be fun, so much so that puppy won’t even realise that she is having a lesson. Above all, the commands that you use to teach puppy need to be consistent.
The trap that you can fall into when you first bring puppy home is that the very behavior that can be so problematic in an adult dog is often so cute and engaging in a little puppy. So she pooped off the edge of the paper; she had such a cute look on her face while she was doing it! So she chewed up grandma’s slipper; when she finally fell asleep with her head buried in the slipper we all burst out laughing. But this kind of behaviour, left unchecked, simply becomes much harder to deal with later on as puppy becomes a “teenager”.
So what are the key areas of puppy training that you need to address?
Puppy Potty Training
Probably on the top of your list will be, or should be, house training your puppy. If you are busy at work during the day, then it is even more important to start this training early so that puppy is not relegated to a newspaper-lined laundry for the rest of her puppy life. Some tips that will help with this part of your puppy training include:
You will have a dog that is a delight to be around if she has been socialized from an early age and subsequently views other dogs as possible playmates rather than threats or aggressors. This will also mean that it will be easier for friends and family to look after her when you are on vacation. The best ways to socialize puppy include:
You can teach puppy from an early age that you are the leader of the pack and won’t tolerate rough, aggressive biting.
At first puppy will object to something around her neck. So make her first little collar quite loose and introduce the leash-walking lessons in short bursts.
You need to make sure that your puppy training begins while she is still a puppy, or before long you will have a pup with selective hearing and not long after that, a young dog that is too boisterous to calm down and too hard to handle.
For both you and puppy, the training sessions should be fun, so much so that puppy won’t even realise that she is having a lesson. Above all, the commands that you use to teach puppy need to be consistent.
The trap that you can fall into when you first bring puppy home is that the very behavior that can be so problematic in an adult dog is often so cute and engaging in a little puppy. So she pooped off the edge of the paper; she had such a cute look on her face while she was doing it! So she chewed up grandma’s slipper; when she finally fell asleep with her head buried in the slipper we all burst out laughing. But this kind of behaviour, left unchecked, simply becomes much harder to deal with later on as puppy becomes a “teenager”.
So what are the key areas of puppy training that you need to address?
Puppy Potty Training
Probably on the top of your list will be, or should be, house training your puppy. If you are busy at work during the day, then it is even more important to start this training early so that puppy is not relegated to a newspaper-lined laundry for the rest of her puppy life. Some tips that will help with this part of your puppy training include:
- Be consistent with where you want puppy to “go”. Take puppy to that spot on a regular basis and reward her when she obliges.
- Make it a habit to go outside with puppy after she has eaten and wait with her in the special “poo corner” so that you can praise her immediately after the deed has been done.
- Use consistent verbal responses so that puppy comes to recognize this special phrase as reward when she has in fact done it in the right spot.
You will have a dog that is a delight to be around if she has been socialized from an early age and subsequently views other dogs as possible playmates rather than threats or aggressors. This will also mean that it will be easier for friends and family to look after her when you are on vacation. The best ways to socialize puppy include:
- Puppy School. This is a wonderful idea and usually takes up only 1 night a week for 5 to 7 weeks. This will be so much fun for puppy that she won’t even notice the lessons.
- Try to introduce puppy to your neighbor’s dog after she has had her shots but only if the neighbor has a friendly dog of course.
- Look to other dog-owning members of your extended family to find opportunities to provide an afternoon of puppy interaction.
You can teach puppy from an early age that you are the leader of the pack and won’t tolerate rough, aggressive biting.
- You can use verbal commands followed by a substitute toy when she releases her biting grip.
- You can stop being the playmate and exit the room when she crosses the line with her needle-like teeth.
- You can also use a growling-like voice to show that you don’t approve. Follow this with a pleasant-sounding voice that heaps praise on her when she does as you ask.
- You can use a tin with items inside it that rattle to make a loud noise when puppy persists in biting.
At first puppy will object to something around her neck. So make her first little collar quite loose and introduce the leash-walking lessons in short bursts.
You need to make sure that your puppy training begins while she is still a puppy, or before long you will have a pup with selective hearing and not long after that, a young dog that is too boisterous to calm down and too hard to handle.
Supporting Dog Digging Behavior
It is in the nature of dogs, especially younger ones, to dig. In fact, there are dog breeds that with their peculiar digging
habits, owners would tend to think they are just made for digging.
Puppies that belong to the terrier breed, sporting and Nordic group are
examples of such.
There can be many reasons behind this behavior but basically, puppies have fun when they dig. Dogs may also dig to find a cool spot in the ground during summer, a warm spot underground during winter, get over anxiety related to moving or having new members in the family, and or to just get over boredom.
Whatever the reason however, there are certain ways you can control or diminish your pet’s unfavorable digging habits. By doing so, you can lessen the destruction that your pet causes in your lawn or backyard. Consequently, you punish or scold your pet less for a behavior that he loves doing.
Foremost, a pet owner should find out the reason for the puppy’s excessive digging behaviors. Boredom caused by less physical activities or attention can easily be resolved with fixed regimes that will divert the dog’s attention from digging.
Below, are also a set of instructions that will help you support your dog’s digging habits. Eventually with these steps, you will be able to give him his own enjoyable spot for digging and also train him to stay in his area away from your lawn.
1. Designate a digging area. Find a spot in your lawn or backyard where your puppy or dog will be free to dig to his hearts content. When you don’t have the luxury of owning a lawn or backyard, find a suitable place in a nearby park or somewhere inside your house. You may set up a digging pit similar to a child’s sandbox.
2. Encourage your dog to dig in his own area. By making it more fun for your dog to dig, he will have more reason to stay in his own digging pit and away from your belongings.
You can accomplish this by burying his favorite toys underneath the digging area so that after finding it, he would feel he just dug a treasure. You may also insert a bone in the digging pit for him to chew on when he finds it. Otherwise, play with your dog by digging alongside him.
3. Create a regime. Commanding or instructing your dog to dig on a regularly basis, will also help him keep to his digging pit. Everyday, you may command you dog to “dig” in his area. Eventually, your dog would love nothing more and start clawing on the ground for a hopefully good find.
4. Correct unfavorable digging. Whenever you find your dog digging someplace other than his digging pit, make sure to correct him with a firm “no” and guide him back to his designated pit.
These steps won’t immediately solve dog digging problems, but eventually with regular training, your puppy should create less destruction on your property and create the habit of digging in his own little place.
There can be many reasons behind this behavior but basically, puppies have fun when they dig. Dogs may also dig to find a cool spot in the ground during summer, a warm spot underground during winter, get over anxiety related to moving or having new members in the family, and or to just get over boredom.
Whatever the reason however, there are certain ways you can control or diminish your pet’s unfavorable digging habits. By doing so, you can lessen the destruction that your pet causes in your lawn or backyard. Consequently, you punish or scold your pet less for a behavior that he loves doing.
Foremost, a pet owner should find out the reason for the puppy’s excessive digging behaviors. Boredom caused by less physical activities or attention can easily be resolved with fixed regimes that will divert the dog’s attention from digging.
Below, are also a set of instructions that will help you support your dog’s digging habits. Eventually with these steps, you will be able to give him his own enjoyable spot for digging and also train him to stay in his area away from your lawn.
1. Designate a digging area. Find a spot in your lawn or backyard where your puppy or dog will be free to dig to his hearts content. When you don’t have the luxury of owning a lawn or backyard, find a suitable place in a nearby park or somewhere inside your house. You may set up a digging pit similar to a child’s sandbox.
2. Encourage your dog to dig in his own area. By making it more fun for your dog to dig, he will have more reason to stay in his own digging pit and away from your belongings.
You can accomplish this by burying his favorite toys underneath the digging area so that after finding it, he would feel he just dug a treasure. You may also insert a bone in the digging pit for him to chew on when he finds it. Otherwise, play with your dog by digging alongside him.
3. Create a regime. Commanding or instructing your dog to dig on a regularly basis, will also help him keep to his digging pit. Everyday, you may command you dog to “dig” in his area. Eventually, your dog would love nothing more and start clawing on the ground for a hopefully good find.
4. Correct unfavorable digging. Whenever you find your dog digging someplace other than his digging pit, make sure to correct him with a firm “no” and guide him back to his designated pit.
These steps won’t immediately solve dog digging problems, but eventually with regular training, your puppy should create less destruction on your property and create the habit of digging in his own little place.
A New Puppy In The Family
A new puppy in a family of dog lovers brings in a lot of warm
feelings. But along with those warm and fuzzy feelings, a puppy can also
cause a lot of puppy problems. But if the puppy is well trained as soon
as it arrives in the family, then things will go a lot smoother. And so
puppy training is a very important aspect for any puppy owner. Puppy
training is not as difficult as it sounds. There are a lot of puppy
training tricks available on the internet which can be used to train the
puppy. The owner can start by training the puppy to sit, stay and
fetch. These commands can be repeated until the puppy learns and
understands them well. Training a puppy can take a lot of time and
patience. The owner should be patient and repeat the commands until the
puppy learns and understands them. Whenever the dog sees the owner angry
it cannot follow instructions from the commands. It is always important
for the owner to remember that the puppy is not as intelligent as
humans and is different from humans. One more important thing is that
the puppy should not be scolded while at training. This would confuse
the puppy.
Obedience training for puppies is very essential to ensuring that they behave appropriate. If the puppy is not trained, it may result in misbehavior. For example some dogs may have the habit of biting strangers. In this scenario, the owner will need to teach the puppy that it is not a good things and such a behavior would not be accepted by the humans. This can be done by executing some common commands whenever it does this. After a while, it will learn by itself by recognizing the commands. Another common misbehavior is biting the owner. This can be eliminated by screaming and shouting whenever the puppy does it. Let the puppy know that biting is not ok, but try to remain calm and collected while doing so.
Dog obedience training can be sometimes easy and sometimes tough. If the dog is already trained, the owner can repeat the instructions and no new training is required. But if the dog has not previously been trained, good training is required for the dog to behave well. Training also depends upon the nature of the dogs. Sometimes it goes on smooth and sometimes it doesn’t. Different breeds have very different personalities, intelligence, and tolerance for training. The training should be consistent for the dog to be trained well.
Find out how dog obedience training can help you prevent misbehavior in the future. Also check out the information on obedience training for puppies that helped me train my puppies to be the lovely adult dogs they are today.
Obedience training for puppies is very essential to ensuring that they behave appropriate. If the puppy is not trained, it may result in misbehavior. For example some dogs may have the habit of biting strangers. In this scenario, the owner will need to teach the puppy that it is not a good things and such a behavior would not be accepted by the humans. This can be done by executing some common commands whenever it does this. After a while, it will learn by itself by recognizing the commands. Another common misbehavior is biting the owner. This can be eliminated by screaming and shouting whenever the puppy does it. Let the puppy know that biting is not ok, but try to remain calm and collected while doing so.
Dog obedience training can be sometimes easy and sometimes tough. If the dog is already trained, the owner can repeat the instructions and no new training is required. But if the dog has not previously been trained, good training is required for the dog to behave well. Training also depends upon the nature of the dogs. Sometimes it goes on smooth and sometimes it doesn’t. Different breeds have very different personalities, intelligence, and tolerance for training. The training should be consistent for the dog to be trained well.
Find out how dog obedience training can help you prevent misbehavior in the future. Also check out the information on obedience training for puppies that helped me train my puppies to be the lovely adult dogs they are today.
Saturday, 28 April 2012
How to Stop a Dog Digging Problem
If you are having digging problems with your dog, don’t worry it can be solved!
Dog naturally like to dig and where better then in your own backyard! Of course this is not so great for you or your garden.
Have you tried yelling, slapping the dogs rear or tying your dog up with a chain or rope? Many think that these methods will stop digging problems but they don’t work.
Dogs start digging because they are calling for attention, they can feel lonely and know that by digging you will come to them. Other dogs may just be bored and starting digging to play or dig up their toys.
Here are a couple of steps to stop your dogs digging problem.
First of all, if you do have an “allowed” digging area, keep your dog in that area by making a small fence. When you see your dog digging in the allowed area praise it and let it know that it is being a good dog.
If fences do not work then you must invest a bit of time and be on the lookout for whenever your dog starts to dig in the wrong area. As soon as you catch your dog make a loud noise by placing rocks in a coffee can and shaking it in order to get your dogs attention. Or you could also have a squirt bottle near by and squirt some water in its face. Of course for this you have to be attentive to when your dog starts to dig.
However, by doing this persistently you will notice that your dog will learn and understand that it is not supposed to dig in the garden.
Also, make sure that your dog isn’t digging because it is anxious or bored. Take your dog out for a walk every day or have at least an hour or more of playtime with your dog.
Dog naturally like to dig and where better then in your own backyard! Of course this is not so great for you or your garden.
Have you tried yelling, slapping the dogs rear or tying your dog up with a chain or rope? Many think that these methods will stop digging problems but they don’t work.
Dogs start digging because they are calling for attention, they can feel lonely and know that by digging you will come to them. Other dogs may just be bored and starting digging to play or dig up their toys.
Here are a couple of steps to stop your dogs digging problem.
First of all, if you do have an “allowed” digging area, keep your dog in that area by making a small fence. When you see your dog digging in the allowed area praise it and let it know that it is being a good dog.
If fences do not work then you must invest a bit of time and be on the lookout for whenever your dog starts to dig in the wrong area. As soon as you catch your dog make a loud noise by placing rocks in a coffee can and shaking it in order to get your dogs attention. Or you could also have a squirt bottle near by and squirt some water in its face. Of course for this you have to be attentive to when your dog starts to dig.
However, by doing this persistently you will notice that your dog will learn and understand that it is not supposed to dig in the garden.
Also, make sure that your dog isn’t digging because it is anxious or bored. Take your dog out for a walk every day or have at least an hour or more of playtime with your dog.
Dog Health Care – How to Keep Your Dog in Tip Top Shape?
Proper dog health care is, in many ways, the same as proper human
health care. Balanced nutrition with fresh food and plenty of clean
water and adequate exercise will keep your dog healthy and happy. Dogs,
like humans are subject to a host of health disorders that can be
caused by obesity, lack of exercise and ingestion of ‘bad for you’
foods and drugs. In other words, if your dog is slovenly, lazy and
gluttonous he will face the same host of physical problems as his
master – heart disease, joint problems, canine diabetes etc. On the
other hand, if your dog has a healthy diet and gets plenty of exercise
he will have a longer life, improved muscle tone, suffer fewer
‘late-life’ diseases and overall have a happier life.
The first, and perhaps most important thing you can do to ensure proper dog health care in the home is to provide a clean water supply. Keep a good sized water bowl made of porcelain or metal that will hold a proper amount for your dog’s breed and size. Alternatively, use a filtrated bowl with an auto fill feature so that your dog always has fresh water available. Also, be aware of the additives that have been put in the water if your water comes from a municipal supply. Basically, the same chemicals that are harmful to you will be harmful to them. When in doubt filter their water.
The next most important thing you can do to ensure your dog’s health is to feed them good quality ‘real’ food. Just like in humans, good nutrition is a key to dog health care. Try to avoid heavily processed foods filled with preservatives and additives. Definitely avoid any dog food with heavy amounts of fillers and grain. The concept of ‘dog food’ is a human invention anyway. What dogs need to eat is food that supplies the proper level of vitamins, minerals and protein – just as you do. Try and avoid your dog’s exposure to table food, raw fish and eggs, dairy products and cheese.
Finally, when you have ensured that your dog has good quality food, fresh water and plenty of exercise, the final step you will want to take for proper dog health care is to get them regular check-ups and veterinarian visits. A good insurance policy will help with the costs of preventive care and provide emergency cover if it is ever needed.
The first, and perhaps most important thing you can do to ensure proper dog health care in the home is to provide a clean water supply. Keep a good sized water bowl made of porcelain or metal that will hold a proper amount for your dog’s breed and size. Alternatively, use a filtrated bowl with an auto fill feature so that your dog always has fresh water available. Also, be aware of the additives that have been put in the water if your water comes from a municipal supply. Basically, the same chemicals that are harmful to you will be harmful to them. When in doubt filter their water.
The next most important thing you can do to ensure your dog’s health is to feed them good quality ‘real’ food. Just like in humans, good nutrition is a key to dog health care. Try to avoid heavily processed foods filled with preservatives and additives. Definitely avoid any dog food with heavy amounts of fillers and grain. The concept of ‘dog food’ is a human invention anyway. What dogs need to eat is food that supplies the proper level of vitamins, minerals and protein – just as you do. Try and avoid your dog’s exposure to table food, raw fish and eggs, dairy products and cheese.
Finally, when you have ensured that your dog has good quality food, fresh water and plenty of exercise, the final step you will want to take for proper dog health care is to get them regular check-ups and veterinarian visits. A good insurance policy will help with the costs of preventive care and provide emergency cover if it is ever needed.
Friday, 27 April 2012
Dog Training School – Teaching the “Sit” Command
Complex dog training
is based on a foundation of the successful carrying-out of simple
commands. A search and rescue dog does not begin with searching and
rescuing, and a well-trained gun dog does not instigate his education
with quartering a field and retrieving shot birds. Before a dog can
carry out these more difficult tasks they must establish a rapport with
their coach and develop a sense of self-belief in their ability to
complete the job they are asked to do.
Dog training school begins with fundamental obedience commands; ‘come’, ‘sit’ and ‘stay’. This lesson is on the second I teach a pup, ‘sit’.
By now he comes when called and in learning that command the pup has accomplished two things. First, he’s learned that he can learn; sounds simple, perhaps even redundant, but before learning to come when called he had no concept of “learning”. It’s important that he comprehends this notion because he’ll likely be doing a lot more of it!
Second, he’s learned the value of pleasing you, his master. You’ll notice that in my dog training school there is minimal use of “treats”. Food is for nourishing the body; praise nourishes the soul. Watch your dog’s reaction to being fed. He’ll wag his tail and pant enthusiastically, then dive head first into his kibble. But give him lavish praise and generous petting and he’ll nearly pass out from all his delight. Nothing, and I mean nothing, please a dog more than knowing he’s pleased the most important being in his life.
Teaching the “Sit!” Command
Successfully teaching the ‘sit’ command gives you control over your dog. There is much she does not, and will not, appreciate about the world around her and it is your duty to fend on her behalf. Your family and friends do not wish to be in the company of an unruly dog; when she sniffs, licks and runs helter-skelter in their presence tell her to ‘sit’.
When walking your dog and then stopping, you do not want her wrapping her lead around your legs; command her to ‘sit’.
Call your dog to you and tell him to ‘sit’; you now have his attention and are ready to continue with today’s lesson.
Okay, hopefully I’ve established that teaching your dog to sit on command is worth your time and effort. Here are several ways to make it happen.
The easiest technique simply involves paying attention. Your dog does a lot of sitting on his own; when you see him beginning to park his rump on the ground say “Sit!” Not “sit down” or “take a seat” or anything else fancy; just “Sit!” (As I’ve mentioned before it is okay to say the dog’s name first, i.e. “Gracie, sit!”) Go to your dog and be liberal with the praise.
The second technique is usually taught by using a treat but works as well without. Stand in front of your dog (who is also standing at this point) and hold you open-palmed hand in front of her nose. As she begins sniffing it move your hand up and back over her head. She’ll raise her head and hopefully begin to lower her butt; as she begins to sit give her the command; “Sit!” If necessary, gently push her rump toward the ground.
The third technique is a variation on the second and the one I use most often. With your dog standing, move to his side, put one hand under his chin and the other on his back right in front of his tail. Support his head and push his rump toward the ground while commanding “Sit!” You may also support the head with your dog’s collar and leash. Lavish with praise, pause and repeat. Do these exercises only for a few minutes and always end the lesson on a successful ‘sit’.
Bonus!
Here’s a bonus for you that only the bigshots teach. Once your dog comprehends sitting on command (and that should happen rather quickly) introduce a hand signal. When you command “Sit!” show your dog your open palm like you were a cop stopping traffic or Superman stopping a speeding bullet. In no time at all Gracie will hit the deck with the hand signal alone and you will become the envy of all the dog owners in your neighborhood.
Happy training to you! See ya’ in the next Dog Training School lesson and please; spay or neuter your dog!
Dog training school begins with fundamental obedience commands; ‘come’, ‘sit’ and ‘stay’. This lesson is on the second I teach a pup, ‘sit’.
By now he comes when called and in learning that command the pup has accomplished two things. First, he’s learned that he can learn; sounds simple, perhaps even redundant, but before learning to come when called he had no concept of “learning”. It’s important that he comprehends this notion because he’ll likely be doing a lot more of it!
Second, he’s learned the value of pleasing you, his master. You’ll notice that in my dog training school there is minimal use of “treats”. Food is for nourishing the body; praise nourishes the soul. Watch your dog’s reaction to being fed. He’ll wag his tail and pant enthusiastically, then dive head first into his kibble. But give him lavish praise and generous petting and he’ll nearly pass out from all his delight. Nothing, and I mean nothing, please a dog more than knowing he’s pleased the most important being in his life.
Teaching the “Sit!” Command
Successfully teaching the ‘sit’ command gives you control over your dog. There is much she does not, and will not, appreciate about the world around her and it is your duty to fend on her behalf. Your family and friends do not wish to be in the company of an unruly dog; when she sniffs, licks and runs helter-skelter in their presence tell her to ‘sit’.
When walking your dog and then stopping, you do not want her wrapping her lead around your legs; command her to ‘sit’.
Call your dog to you and tell him to ‘sit’; you now have his attention and are ready to continue with today’s lesson.
Okay, hopefully I’ve established that teaching your dog to sit on command is worth your time and effort. Here are several ways to make it happen.
The easiest technique simply involves paying attention. Your dog does a lot of sitting on his own; when you see him beginning to park his rump on the ground say “Sit!” Not “sit down” or “take a seat” or anything else fancy; just “Sit!” (As I’ve mentioned before it is okay to say the dog’s name first, i.e. “Gracie, sit!”) Go to your dog and be liberal with the praise.
The second technique is usually taught by using a treat but works as well without. Stand in front of your dog (who is also standing at this point) and hold you open-palmed hand in front of her nose. As she begins sniffing it move your hand up and back over her head. She’ll raise her head and hopefully begin to lower her butt; as she begins to sit give her the command; “Sit!” If necessary, gently push her rump toward the ground.
The third technique is a variation on the second and the one I use most often. With your dog standing, move to his side, put one hand under his chin and the other on his back right in front of his tail. Support his head and push his rump toward the ground while commanding “Sit!” You may also support the head with your dog’s collar and leash. Lavish with praise, pause and repeat. Do these exercises only for a few minutes and always end the lesson on a successful ‘sit’.
Bonus!
Here’s a bonus for you that only the bigshots teach. Once your dog comprehends sitting on command (and that should happen rather quickly) introduce a hand signal. When you command “Sit!” show your dog your open palm like you were a cop stopping traffic or Superman stopping a speeding bullet. In no time at all Gracie will hit the deck with the hand signal alone and you will become the envy of all the dog owners in your neighborhood.
Happy training to you! See ya’ in the next Dog Training School lesson and please; spay or neuter your dog!
Quiet Excessive Barking With Dog Training
Dogs bark for many different reasons. Here are just a few of them;
sights, smells, not enough exercise, hungry, lonely, and bored. Barking
is a dog’s primary form of communication but sometimes this
communication is taken to an unhealthy level. There are many great dog
training tips out there that will help in this area, but it is vital
that you first discover the main reasons for your dog’s barking.
Knowing the probable cause will go a long way towards fixing the
problem. It will also help you decide which dog
training tips are most likely to work for you.
The dog training tip that dogs love!
Probably the most enjoyable method that you can use to stop excessive barking is through the use of treats. Your pet will love this dog training tip! When your dog begins his marathon of barking, immediately hold a treat in front of his nose. Most likely, he will snap to attention and focus on the treat. Calmly give him the command “quiet”. Then give him the treat. Over time you can increase the amount of time that he has to remain quiet before receiving his treat.
Remember never to yell at your pet for barking. Your elevated tone and energy will only serve to put fuel on the fire. Your dog might even get the mistaken idea that you’ve decided to join in. Keep a calm demeanor while dealing with a barking dog.
Dog training will help you sleep at night!
Many pet owners keep their young dogs in some sort of designated area over night. This is always a good idea as it keeps the pet out of trouble and danger. The problem is that many pets are none too happy about being separated from their owners at bed time. Their frustration can result in hours of nonstop barking.
Save some of your old pop cans and rinse them out. Place 5-7 pennies inside and cover the hole with plenty of duct tape. Once you’re out of sight and the barking begins, toss one of the cans in the general area where your dog is. Never throw the cans at your pet! The purpose of this exercise is to distract the dog from their unwanted behavior. All of the clanking is an unpleasant sound and after a while the dog will associate barking with the objectionable racket. Sometimes it only takes 3 cans to quiet a dog that is used to barking for hours! Using these tips is sure to create a peaceful atmosphere in your home
training tips are most likely to work for you.
The dog training tip that dogs love!
Probably the most enjoyable method that you can use to stop excessive barking is through the use of treats. Your pet will love this dog training tip! When your dog begins his marathon of barking, immediately hold a treat in front of his nose. Most likely, he will snap to attention and focus on the treat. Calmly give him the command “quiet”. Then give him the treat. Over time you can increase the amount of time that he has to remain quiet before receiving his treat.
Remember never to yell at your pet for barking. Your elevated tone and energy will only serve to put fuel on the fire. Your dog might even get the mistaken idea that you’ve decided to join in. Keep a calm demeanor while dealing with a barking dog.
Dog training will help you sleep at night!
Many pet owners keep their young dogs in some sort of designated area over night. This is always a good idea as it keeps the pet out of trouble and danger. The problem is that many pets are none too happy about being separated from their owners at bed time. Their frustration can result in hours of nonstop barking.
Save some of your old pop cans and rinse them out. Place 5-7 pennies inside and cover the hole with plenty of duct tape. Once you’re out of sight and the barking begins, toss one of the cans in the general area where your dog is. Never throw the cans at your pet! The purpose of this exercise is to distract the dog from their unwanted behavior. All of the clanking is an unpleasant sound and after a while the dog will associate barking with the objectionable racket. Sometimes it only takes 3 cans to quiet a dog that is used to barking for hours! Using these tips is sure to create a peaceful atmosphere in your home
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Dog Training Tips – How to Train a Puppy – the 10 Most Important Principles
Training Your Puppy
How to train a puppy is one of the most common questions raised by new dog owners. You have just brought this new creature into your lives and before too long you realise that unless you do something about it, his boisterous, carefree puppy ways are going to turn into a real headache when he is five times his current size and weight.
With that in mind, the following are what I consider the ten most important principles to take into account when training a puppy.
The Ten Principles of Puppy Training
Beginning Training
1. Utilise the first three months of the puppy’s life to shape the puppy’s behaviour. This time should be spent teaching the puppy where it can and can’t go in your house, getting the puppy into a routine so that it knows its boundaries and potty training the puppy.
2. Don’t start formal obedience training with your puppy until it has reached at least three months of age. Your puppy goes through drastic change during his first three months where the central nervous system is developing. A puppy will not be able to understand or cope with formal obedience training before then.
3. When you do start formal obedience sessions at three months of age do not make the sessions any longer than four to five minutes long. Break the sessions up so that your puppy never becomes bored and ensure that you make the sessions happy so that your puppy is left wanting more. This is crucial.
The most important commands
4. At 3 months of age concentrate on the three most important commands, ‘down’, ‘stay’ and the command that I consider is by far the most important-‘come’. (The come command is crucial, it can save your dogs life). The way to introduce these commands is as follows: “When ever your dog sits or goes into the down position on its own free will, simply state the command ‘sit’ or ‘down’ to coincide with the action”. Likewise, when ever you walk away from your puppy and want the puppy to remain where it is, simply state the command ‘stay’.
You can even do this before the puppy is 3 months old because you are not putting any pressure on the puppy. When the puppy is 3 months old it will then be ready to associate the command with the action in formal obedience sessions.
Praising and Rewarding the Puppy
5. Never yell at, hit, punish or scold your puppy during obedience sessions, this will only hinder your puppy’s learning by having a negative effect on his confidence. Instead concentrate on positive reinforcement i.e. giving praise and/or a reward for completing the command. If the puppy does not do as you wish, simply withhold the praise and/or reward and move on.
6. Use food rewards 100% of the time when you start formal obedience sessions with your puppy. However, slowly withdraw them to around one reward for every twenty commands over the coming six months. That way your puppy will always be motivated because he will never know when the next reward is coming and he will be looking for it.
The two steps forward-one step back Principle
7. Do not make each training session progressively longer and harder for your puppy. Concentrate on the ‘two steps forward -one step back’ principle. This means, progress over two training sessions, then regress and make it easier on the third session. For example, you are teaching your puppy the ‘stay’ command. On Monday you have your pup stay for twenty seconds, five metres away from you, Tuesday thirty seconds seven metres from you and Wednesday forty seconds ten metres from you and so on. When you consistently progress like this you are de-motivating your puppy by making it harder for him every time that you teach the command. The correct way to go about this would be as above for Monday and Tuesday, however on Wednesday take the exercise back to fifteen seconds at three metres. Then progress again on the following day.
The Retrieve
8. When ever your puppy brings an item such as a ball, stick or any toy to you, do not immediately reach for the item. Instead pat the puppy on any part of his body except his head and ignore the item at first. If you immediately reach for items that your puppy brings to you, he will always feel threatened when ever he has an item in his mouth. This will hinder progress with retrieve exercises and even with games such as retrieve with a ball or stick.
The Collar and Lead
9. During the first three months familiarise your puppy with the lead and collar. Do this by introducing the collar first. Show the puppy the collar and let him smell and investigate it before you place it on him. Do this in a positive environment, for instance when you are outside playing with the puppy. After he has investigated it, simply place the collar on the puppy with minimal fuss, give a food reward so that the puppy has a positive association with the collar and continue playing with the puppy as if nothing has happened. If the puppy becomes distracted and starts pawing at the collar etc. distract the puppy with a toy or food item to take his mind off the collar. Very soon, your puppy will have forgotten that the collar is there. After two to three days of wearing the collar, introduce the lead. Again, do this under positive circumstances. Allow the puppy to investigate it and then clip it onto the collar then give a food reward. Allow the puppy to run around an area where he cannot get tangled, with the lead dragging behind him on the ground for around five to ten minutes. Extend this to around thirty minutes over the following week and then start picking up the lead for short periods while slowly walking around with the puppy following you.
Enjoy your Puppy
10. Lastly remember to enjoy your puppy. Make learning as stress free as possible. Accept that when you are training a puppy that things will go wrong and when they do move on with minimal fuss. Obedience Training is your responsibility as a dog owner. It is well worth the time and effort because the result is a companion that is always under your control and a pleasure to be around.
How to train a puppy is one of the most common questions raised by new dog owners. You have just brought this new creature into your lives and before too long you realise that unless you do something about it, his boisterous, carefree puppy ways are going to turn into a real headache when he is five times his current size and weight.
With that in mind, the following are what I consider the ten most important principles to take into account when training a puppy.
The Ten Principles of Puppy Training
Beginning Training
1. Utilise the first three months of the puppy’s life to shape the puppy’s behaviour. This time should be spent teaching the puppy where it can and can’t go in your house, getting the puppy into a routine so that it knows its boundaries and potty training the puppy.
2. Don’t start formal obedience training with your puppy until it has reached at least three months of age. Your puppy goes through drastic change during his first three months where the central nervous system is developing. A puppy will not be able to understand or cope with formal obedience training before then.
3. When you do start formal obedience sessions at three months of age do not make the sessions any longer than four to five minutes long. Break the sessions up so that your puppy never becomes bored and ensure that you make the sessions happy so that your puppy is left wanting more. This is crucial.
The most important commands
4. At 3 months of age concentrate on the three most important commands, ‘down’, ‘stay’ and the command that I consider is by far the most important-‘come’. (The come command is crucial, it can save your dogs life). The way to introduce these commands is as follows: “When ever your dog sits or goes into the down position on its own free will, simply state the command ‘sit’ or ‘down’ to coincide with the action”. Likewise, when ever you walk away from your puppy and want the puppy to remain where it is, simply state the command ‘stay’.
You can even do this before the puppy is 3 months old because you are not putting any pressure on the puppy. When the puppy is 3 months old it will then be ready to associate the command with the action in formal obedience sessions.
Praising and Rewarding the Puppy
5. Never yell at, hit, punish or scold your puppy during obedience sessions, this will only hinder your puppy’s learning by having a negative effect on his confidence. Instead concentrate on positive reinforcement i.e. giving praise and/or a reward for completing the command. If the puppy does not do as you wish, simply withhold the praise and/or reward and move on.
6. Use food rewards 100% of the time when you start formal obedience sessions with your puppy. However, slowly withdraw them to around one reward for every twenty commands over the coming six months. That way your puppy will always be motivated because he will never know when the next reward is coming and he will be looking for it.
The two steps forward-one step back Principle
7. Do not make each training session progressively longer and harder for your puppy. Concentrate on the ‘two steps forward -one step back’ principle. This means, progress over two training sessions, then regress and make it easier on the third session. For example, you are teaching your puppy the ‘stay’ command. On Monday you have your pup stay for twenty seconds, five metres away from you, Tuesday thirty seconds seven metres from you and Wednesday forty seconds ten metres from you and so on. When you consistently progress like this you are de-motivating your puppy by making it harder for him every time that you teach the command. The correct way to go about this would be as above for Monday and Tuesday, however on Wednesday take the exercise back to fifteen seconds at three metres. Then progress again on the following day.
The Retrieve
8. When ever your puppy brings an item such as a ball, stick or any toy to you, do not immediately reach for the item. Instead pat the puppy on any part of his body except his head and ignore the item at first. If you immediately reach for items that your puppy brings to you, he will always feel threatened when ever he has an item in his mouth. This will hinder progress with retrieve exercises and even with games such as retrieve with a ball or stick.
The Collar and Lead
9. During the first three months familiarise your puppy with the lead and collar. Do this by introducing the collar first. Show the puppy the collar and let him smell and investigate it before you place it on him. Do this in a positive environment, for instance when you are outside playing with the puppy. After he has investigated it, simply place the collar on the puppy with minimal fuss, give a food reward so that the puppy has a positive association with the collar and continue playing with the puppy as if nothing has happened. If the puppy becomes distracted and starts pawing at the collar etc. distract the puppy with a toy or food item to take his mind off the collar. Very soon, your puppy will have forgotten that the collar is there. After two to three days of wearing the collar, introduce the lead. Again, do this under positive circumstances. Allow the puppy to investigate it and then clip it onto the collar then give a food reward. Allow the puppy to run around an area where he cannot get tangled, with the lead dragging behind him on the ground for around five to ten minutes. Extend this to around thirty minutes over the following week and then start picking up the lead for short periods while slowly walking around with the puppy following you.
Enjoy your Puppy
10. Lastly remember to enjoy your puppy. Make learning as stress free as possible. Accept that when you are training a puppy that things will go wrong and when they do move on with minimal fuss. Obedience Training is your responsibility as a dog owner. It is well worth the time and effort because the result is a companion that is always under your control and a pleasure to be around.
Nick Wilson is an author, a former Police Dog Handler, and the owner
of K9Koncepts, based in New Plymouth, New Zealand. He focuses on
teaching owners how to train their dogs with a simple and forthright
approach. He also specialises in teaching owners how to overcome issues
with problem dogs, and helps them understand the importance of the
Canine Dominance hierarchy in dog training. You can obtain his free report Canine Dominance and the Five Key Factors to Dog Training from http://www.train-your-K9.com/
If you really want to understand canine dominace in more detail, and
how it effects dog training, then his recently authored e-book “Train
Your K9″ is also available from the site.
Common Dog Diseases and Parasites
A good diet and plenty of exercise are important to a dog’s health,
but they can’t make a dog totally immune to illness. Early detection is
the key to helping your dog overcome any health problem. If your pet’s
stools become very loose, or you notice a marked decrease in your dog’s
appetite and/or that she is very lethargic, she may just have a
short-term “bug.” On the other hand, if any symptoms continue for more
than a few days, you should have your veterinarian examine her for
parasites and infections.
Diarrhea is a common symptom in dogs, especially puppies. It can be triggered by stress or a sudden change in food, but also by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Diarrhea causes dehydration, which can be deadly to dogs. It is extremely dangerous in puppies, because they dehydrate faster than mature dogs.
If your dog has diarrhea for more than a day, contact your veterinarian for further instructions. You will probably be asked to collect a sample and bring it in so they can examine it to determine the cause and proper treatment.
Coughing, sneezing, and discharge from your dog’s nose and/or eyes often indicate a respiratory infection. A lethargic dog with no appetite is likely fighting an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). URI, caused by airborne viruses and bacteria, is highly contagious among dogs, but is not transmitted between dogs and humans. Early detection of URI is important; ignored dogs suffer from severe dehydration and risk developing pneumonia.
Bortadella, also called ‘kennel cough” is another contagious respiratory disease commonly contracted in animal shelters, boarding kennels, or anywhere groups of dogs have close contact with one another. It is a short-term disease, and most dogs get over it with a few days of rest and tender loving care from you. It is possible to have your dog vaccinated against Bortadella – a good idea if you plan on boarding her or placing her in “doggie daycare.”
Vaccinations are also available to protect your dog against more deadly diseases such as rabies, distemper and parvovirus. Most municipalities require that all dogs are vaccinated against rabies; some include distemper and parvovirus as well. Making these vaccinations mandatory protects the health of all dogs, and, in the case of rabies, human health as well. If your dog was vaccinated as a puppy, she’s off to a good start. However, without yearly booster shots, your dog is at risk of great suffering from one of these diseases.
Dogs serve as hosts to a number of parasites. You will probably be asked to bring a fecal sample to your dog’s yearly vet appointment, so that the staff can check for the presence of internal parasites. If you notice small, rice-like granules on your pet’s bedding or around her anus, she is suffering from an infestation of worms and needs to be seen by your vet to get proper treatment. Other parasites take up residence on the outside of your dog’s body. Mange and sarcoptic mites live on the hair follicles and skin of dogs, while ear mites live on the inside of the ear. These parasites are so small you might not see them, but they cause your dog extreme discomfort. Head shaking and pawing at ears are signs of ear mites. Frequent scratching and skin-biting can indicate either skin mites or a dog’s worst enemy: fleas.
Diarrhea is a common symptom in dogs, especially puppies. It can be triggered by stress or a sudden change in food, but also by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Diarrhea causes dehydration, which can be deadly to dogs. It is extremely dangerous in puppies, because they dehydrate faster than mature dogs.
If your dog has diarrhea for more than a day, contact your veterinarian for further instructions. You will probably be asked to collect a sample and bring it in so they can examine it to determine the cause and proper treatment.
Coughing, sneezing, and discharge from your dog’s nose and/or eyes often indicate a respiratory infection. A lethargic dog with no appetite is likely fighting an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). URI, caused by airborne viruses and bacteria, is highly contagious among dogs, but is not transmitted between dogs and humans. Early detection of URI is important; ignored dogs suffer from severe dehydration and risk developing pneumonia.
Bortadella, also called ‘kennel cough” is another contagious respiratory disease commonly contracted in animal shelters, boarding kennels, or anywhere groups of dogs have close contact with one another. It is a short-term disease, and most dogs get over it with a few days of rest and tender loving care from you. It is possible to have your dog vaccinated against Bortadella – a good idea if you plan on boarding her or placing her in “doggie daycare.”
Vaccinations are also available to protect your dog against more deadly diseases such as rabies, distemper and parvovirus. Most municipalities require that all dogs are vaccinated against rabies; some include distemper and parvovirus as well. Making these vaccinations mandatory protects the health of all dogs, and, in the case of rabies, human health as well. If your dog was vaccinated as a puppy, she’s off to a good start. However, without yearly booster shots, your dog is at risk of great suffering from one of these diseases.
Dogs serve as hosts to a number of parasites. You will probably be asked to bring a fecal sample to your dog’s yearly vet appointment, so that the staff can check for the presence of internal parasites. If you notice small, rice-like granules on your pet’s bedding or around her anus, she is suffering from an infestation of worms and needs to be seen by your vet to get proper treatment. Other parasites take up residence on the outside of your dog’s body. Mange and sarcoptic mites live on the hair follicles and skin of dogs, while ear mites live on the inside of the ear. These parasites are so small you might not see them, but they cause your dog extreme discomfort. Head shaking and pawing at ears are signs of ear mites. Frequent scratching and skin-biting can indicate either skin mites or a dog’s worst enemy: fleas.
Dog Training Tricks – Cool Dog Tricks To Teach Your Dog
Dogs are smart animals that can learn fun and cool tricks easily
when properly trained. Teaching your dog tricks does not only make your
dog smarter, it’s also a fun thing to do for the owner. Good news is
that training a dog is not really that difficult. You can begin with
simple dog training tricks before proceeding with advanced dog training. Here’s how owners can start with simple training:
Giving treats. Dog food is one of the most helpful things that trainers can use for simple dog training because these pets react easily to food. The trainer can begin with giving treats for dog behavior training until the dog becomes more obedient to commands even if there’s no more treat.
Repetition. When teaching dog tricks the trainer has to be patient because pet dogs understand better from repetition. In this way, there is more consistency and the behavior or actions that they have learned become more solid.
Regular training. Like regular exercise for optimum results, dog agility training should be done every day so the pet will not forget the tricks they are taught. Doing this will make the lessons such as the training process, the commands and the dog’s obedience stick with them and continue on.
Dog clickers. Using a clicker to teach dog tricks is also very helpful especially because the hearing sense of dogs is very sensitive. They respond to the sound that the clicker makes and it will be easier for them to familiarize the command and the sound so clicker dog training tricksare essential.
Hand motions. Aside from using dog clickers, the trainer can also use hand motions to teach fun dog tricks. When they see physical commands such as rolling over, they can associate the verbal command with the hand movements.
Basic commands. One way of curing dog aggression or unwanted behaviors is to teach them basic commands like sit stay fetch. They serve as the fundamental ways that make toilet training dogs easier to achieve. Moreover, the basic commands also pave the way for advanced dog training for more difficult or impressive tricks.
The Benefits of Teaching Dog Tricks
It is important for trainers to keep in mind that training your dog to do tricks should be safe for the pet and any training technique that may hurt them is not advisable. Training your dog should not be too stressful also which means you don’t need to spend the entire day to do the training. Keeping it short will make the pet more focused and willing to get back to it the next day.
Some trainers may want to enroll their pets in group trainings so their dog can socialize with other pets while some prefer individual training. Both methods for teaching dog tricks are highly effective so the owners can choose whichever suits them.
The importance of simple dog training and teaching dogs the basic commands is that it improves their behavior and trains them to avoid doing unpleasant behaviors such as chewing on shoes or carpets or peeing on the wrong places. While training your dog to walk on a leash, you can also teach them proper toilet training. Further, basic training and teaching them to come, sit, stay or stand can promote bonding and play time between owner and pet. Treats can also be used to lure the dog to do the commands and should be given to pets every time they do a trick successfully
Advanced dog training often makes performers out of dogs and people become more impressed or entertained with them because of this. Learning the basics will prepare the dogs to do more complicated tricks such as backing up, catching something, crawling, dancing, playing dead or shaking. Compared to basics commands, training your dogs to do tricks like these also require more persistence from the trainer and the training doesn’t need to be every day.
If they teach dog tricks to pets, trainers can develop better communication with dogs and in return, the pets will open up more to trainers. The pet may also gain more confidence from the training and their high energy can be put to good use. Moreover, some people are afraid of dogs and one way to make them feel less threatened around these pets is if they see the dogs performing impressive and fun dog tricks.
Dog training tricks can be quite a lot of work, require a lot of patience and need sufficient time but returns rewarding experiences both for dogs and trainers or owners.
Giving treats. Dog food is one of the most helpful things that trainers can use for simple dog training because these pets react easily to food. The trainer can begin with giving treats for dog behavior training until the dog becomes more obedient to commands even if there’s no more treat.
Repetition. When teaching dog tricks the trainer has to be patient because pet dogs understand better from repetition. In this way, there is more consistency and the behavior or actions that they have learned become more solid.
Regular training. Like regular exercise for optimum results, dog agility training should be done every day so the pet will not forget the tricks they are taught. Doing this will make the lessons such as the training process, the commands and the dog’s obedience stick with them and continue on.
Dog clickers. Using a clicker to teach dog tricks is also very helpful especially because the hearing sense of dogs is very sensitive. They respond to the sound that the clicker makes and it will be easier for them to familiarize the command and the sound so clicker dog training tricksare essential.
Hand motions. Aside from using dog clickers, the trainer can also use hand motions to teach fun dog tricks. When they see physical commands such as rolling over, they can associate the verbal command with the hand movements.
Basic commands. One way of curing dog aggression or unwanted behaviors is to teach them basic commands like sit stay fetch. They serve as the fundamental ways that make toilet training dogs easier to achieve. Moreover, the basic commands also pave the way for advanced dog training for more difficult or impressive tricks.
The Benefits of Teaching Dog Tricks
It is important for trainers to keep in mind that training your dog to do tricks should be safe for the pet and any training technique that may hurt them is not advisable. Training your dog should not be too stressful also which means you don’t need to spend the entire day to do the training. Keeping it short will make the pet more focused and willing to get back to it the next day.
Some trainers may want to enroll their pets in group trainings so their dog can socialize with other pets while some prefer individual training. Both methods for teaching dog tricks are highly effective so the owners can choose whichever suits them.
The importance of simple dog training and teaching dogs the basic commands is that it improves their behavior and trains them to avoid doing unpleasant behaviors such as chewing on shoes or carpets or peeing on the wrong places. While training your dog to walk on a leash, you can also teach them proper toilet training. Further, basic training and teaching them to come, sit, stay or stand can promote bonding and play time between owner and pet. Treats can also be used to lure the dog to do the commands and should be given to pets every time they do a trick successfully
Advanced dog training often makes performers out of dogs and people become more impressed or entertained with them because of this. Learning the basics will prepare the dogs to do more complicated tricks such as backing up, catching something, crawling, dancing, playing dead or shaking. Compared to basics commands, training your dogs to do tricks like these also require more persistence from the trainer and the training doesn’t need to be every day.
If they teach dog tricks to pets, trainers can develop better communication with dogs and in return, the pets will open up more to trainers. The pet may also gain more confidence from the training and their high energy can be put to good use. Moreover, some people are afraid of dogs and one way to make them feel less threatened around these pets is if they see the dogs performing impressive and fun dog tricks.
Dog training tricks can be quite a lot of work, require a lot of patience and need sufficient time but returns rewarding experiences both for dogs and trainers or owners.
Clicker Training Your Dog – Are You Making a Big Mistake?
Most people know that clicker training your dog can be a fun and
rewarding experience. However, some dog parents give up on clicker
training too soon because they don’t understand the basic fundamentals
behind operant conditioning (the science behind how clicker training
works).
In order to clicker train your dog effectively you need to avoid these common mistakes:
1. Not Using the Correct Treats
Commercial dog treats or pieces of kibble are ineffective training tools. If you knew your paycheck was going to be worth $25 at the end of the week, how motivated would you be to go to work? What about $1000? These treats rank pretty low on the totem pole in terms of “excitability”.
“Real” human food is worth much more to your dog than boring pieces of treats and kibble. Just don’t get too crazy. We’re talking pea-size portions of food like cooked chicken, cheese, Cheerios, etc.
Plus–most commercial dog treats take way too long for your dog to chew. By the time he finishes eating the treat, he’s already forgotten how he earned it!
2. Training a Dog on a Full Stomach
After you finish eating a spaghetti dinner do you order out for pizza? Hopefully not! This one should be pretty self-explanatory. If you expect your dog to work for food he’ll be a lot more excited about the idea if he’s hungry.
3. Using the Clicker to Fix a Problem
The clicker is used for teaching a new behavior, not for stopping a behavior the dog has already learned how to do. Does your dog jump up on people? Then you need to teach him this trick: Sitting When People Come to the Door is More Rewarding Than Jumping.
4. Using the Clicker as a Remote Control
The clicker should never be used as a remote control to get your dog’s attention or to get him to come to you. Yes, that works pretty well at first but eventually the clicker will lose it’s great power as a source of information for your dog.
Instead, the clicker should always be used a camera, capturing the exact moment in time when you see your dog doing something right.
Unfortunately, these common mistakes are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, 9 out of 10 “professional” dog trainers do not understand the science correctly! It’s no wonder so many dog parents have become frustrated with clicker training!
In order to clicker train your dog effectively you need to avoid these common mistakes:
1. Not Using the Correct Treats
Commercial dog treats or pieces of kibble are ineffective training tools. If you knew your paycheck was going to be worth $25 at the end of the week, how motivated would you be to go to work? What about $1000? These treats rank pretty low on the totem pole in terms of “excitability”.
“Real” human food is worth much more to your dog than boring pieces of treats and kibble. Just don’t get too crazy. We’re talking pea-size portions of food like cooked chicken, cheese, Cheerios, etc.
Plus–most commercial dog treats take way too long for your dog to chew. By the time he finishes eating the treat, he’s already forgotten how he earned it!
2. Training a Dog on a Full Stomach
After you finish eating a spaghetti dinner do you order out for pizza? Hopefully not! This one should be pretty self-explanatory. If you expect your dog to work for food he’ll be a lot more excited about the idea if he’s hungry.
3. Using the Clicker to Fix a Problem
The clicker is used for teaching a new behavior, not for stopping a behavior the dog has already learned how to do. Does your dog jump up on people? Then you need to teach him this trick: Sitting When People Come to the Door is More Rewarding Than Jumping.
4. Using the Clicker as a Remote Control
The clicker should never be used as a remote control to get your dog’s attention or to get him to come to you. Yes, that works pretty well at first but eventually the clicker will lose it’s great power as a source of information for your dog.
Instead, the clicker should always be used a camera, capturing the exact moment in time when you see your dog doing something right.
Unfortunately, these common mistakes are just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, 9 out of 10 “professional” dog trainers do not understand the science correctly! It’s no wonder so many dog parents have become frustrated with clicker training!
Dog Tricks Made Easy – 2 Important Techniques
If you’ve been having difficulty teaching your pet a new trick, you
may just need to employ a couple basic strategies to get yourself on
the right track. The number one strategy in making dog training
effective is a technique called “progressive ordering.” Basically this
means you want to break a trick down into the simplest, most basic
components and teach your dog these components one-at-a-time. Once he or
she masters one element, reward them with praise and continue on to
the next part of the trick. Each new component builds on the previous
one and the trick will come naturally to your pet. It’s a good idea to
limit the amount of time you spend training, though. Five to ten
minutes per session with no more than 2 or 3 sessions a day is more
than adequate. Show your pet attention and praise throughout and be
sure that training is in no way an unpleasant experience for them.
Let’s illustrate this technique using a very basic example: Playing fetch. First, we want to chunk this down into the basic parts. You throw the stick, your dog chases the stick, picks it up, and returns it to you. You will want to be sure to reward your pet every time he completes one of his actions. So when you throw the stick, give praise to the dog when he runs over to it. Repeat this several times so that the dog begins to associate this behavior with the reward. Eventually you will want to cut down on the reward for this part until your dog learns his next part of the trick- Picking up the stick. Repeat the reward cycle for this as with the first part until you feel your pet has a good understanding and then move on to having them return the stick to you. This provides your dog a natural and safe way to learn new behaviors.
Another great strategy is to use a clicker. These can be purchased online or at pet stores very inexpensively and are highly effective at reinforcing positive behavior. The clicking sound that these training aids make works so well because it is a sound that your dog doesn’t normally hear. While “good boy” or “good girl” can let your pet know they’ve done something well, the simple fact is that our words don’t sound all that distinctive to a dog’s ears. We are talking all day long and most of the words we speak have no significance to our canine counterparts. The click, however, is a unique sound that your pet will only hear after he does something praiseworthy, and he will quickly associate the sound with a reward.
There are just 3 steps to training your pet using a clicker:
1. When your pet performs a trick (or part of a trick if they are still learning), click right away after it happens.
2. Give your dog a treat ASAP after the click. A small piece of people food or his favorite treat will work.
3. Show some affection and praise! Show your pet that you are pleased after rewarding him with the treat.
That’s it! Put these two strategies to work and you might be surprised at how quickly your four-legged friend adapts and learns some fun new tricks.
Let’s illustrate this technique using a very basic example: Playing fetch. First, we want to chunk this down into the basic parts. You throw the stick, your dog chases the stick, picks it up, and returns it to you. You will want to be sure to reward your pet every time he completes one of his actions. So when you throw the stick, give praise to the dog when he runs over to it. Repeat this several times so that the dog begins to associate this behavior with the reward. Eventually you will want to cut down on the reward for this part until your dog learns his next part of the trick- Picking up the stick. Repeat the reward cycle for this as with the first part until you feel your pet has a good understanding and then move on to having them return the stick to you. This provides your dog a natural and safe way to learn new behaviors.
Another great strategy is to use a clicker. These can be purchased online or at pet stores very inexpensively and are highly effective at reinforcing positive behavior. The clicking sound that these training aids make works so well because it is a sound that your dog doesn’t normally hear. While “good boy” or “good girl” can let your pet know they’ve done something well, the simple fact is that our words don’t sound all that distinctive to a dog’s ears. We are talking all day long and most of the words we speak have no significance to our canine counterparts. The click, however, is a unique sound that your pet will only hear after he does something praiseworthy, and he will quickly associate the sound with a reward.
There are just 3 steps to training your pet using a clicker:
1. When your pet performs a trick (or part of a trick if they are still learning), click right away after it happens.
2. Give your dog a treat ASAP after the click. A small piece of people food or his favorite treat will work.
3. Show some affection and praise! Show your pet that you are pleased after rewarding him with the treat.
That’s it! Put these two strategies to work and you might be surprised at how quickly your four-legged friend adapts and learns some fun new tricks.
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Clicker – A Great Dog Training Aid For Dogs and Owners
Come to think of it, training a God is not just converting your dog
to simple following your instructions and commands. When you start
training your dog for obedience and anti aggressive behavior you
actually increase your interaction with your pet. In the course of
training, your dog learns a few tricks, but at the same time you also
get to learn a lot about your four legged companion.
There are numerous ways and means to train a dog, but one of the most effective dog training aids is an electronic clicker The essence of clicker training is that the dog is guided, not forced, into the desired behavior.
The clicker works on the principles of conditioning behavior and association of actions with sounds as experimented by Ivan Pavlov (a Russian Behavioral expert) long ago. He researched and established a relation between sounds and sight. He determined that even in the absence of the actual situation we can condition an intelligent animal such as a dog to react for a situation on hearing a sound even in the absence of the actual situation and associating sounds with events and required actions.
Pavlov had trained conditioned his dog for associating the sound of a bell with food and the dogs even started producing additional saliva when the bell rang and food was not provided as they had over a period of time associated the sound with food.
In the similar way you can train your dogs to act and behave in a required manner to the sound of a clicker. It takes a lot of patience, but is entirely non-confrontational. If you learn and understand clicker training you will not only be more effective in training dogs, but you will probably also improve your people handling skills.
Clicker in my opinion is one of the greatest dog training aids developed till now and suitable for dogs of all sizes and breeds.
There are numerous ways and means to train a dog, but one of the most effective dog training aids is an electronic clicker The essence of clicker training is that the dog is guided, not forced, into the desired behavior.
The clicker works on the principles of conditioning behavior and association of actions with sounds as experimented by Ivan Pavlov (a Russian Behavioral expert) long ago. He researched and established a relation between sounds and sight. He determined that even in the absence of the actual situation we can condition an intelligent animal such as a dog to react for a situation on hearing a sound even in the absence of the actual situation and associating sounds with events and required actions.
Pavlov had trained conditioned his dog for associating the sound of a bell with food and the dogs even started producing additional saliva when the bell rang and food was not provided as they had over a period of time associated the sound with food.
In the similar way you can train your dogs to act and behave in a required manner to the sound of a clicker. It takes a lot of patience, but is entirely non-confrontational. If you learn and understand clicker training you will not only be more effective in training dogs, but you will probably also improve your people handling skills.
Clicker in my opinion is one of the greatest dog training aids developed till now and suitable for dogs of all sizes and breeds.
House Training a New Puppy
When you buy a puppy for sale and introduce it to your home you will need to start housetraining
the animal which will take time and patience. Here is some advice to
ease the process and have your puppy housetrained as quickly as
possible. Some pups will learn quickly while others need a little more
time to adapt. They will get there eventually, so keep encouraging them
and be patient.
When a puppy is looking to do its business it’s only concerned with going to the toilet as soon as possible and in a choice location, which will be away from food and his or her bed. For a little while you will find it on your bedroom floor and all around your house so it’s up to you to show the puppy a better spot.
The key is looking out for signs that the puppy needs the loo. These are holding its tail high, sniffing around a particular region or continually circling an area. Puppies will need to go to the loo frequently, the most likely times for them though are after they been eating or drinking, immediately after waking up (like us all!), and if they are exciting they have a tendency to go.
How to train a puppy
Spotting when the puppy is about to go is a good start. You should have a nearby spot in the garden where you can take the puppy to make it, its toilet area. Remember if you have chosen to buy one of the newly born puppies for sale then its warning system won’t be very good so the spot should be quick and easy to reach from where the puppy’s bed is located and food and play area.
Show the puppy encouragement
Make sure you always show the puppy where you want him or her to go and stay with the puppy and encourage them. Chose a command word so the puppy starts to understand what you are asking of them and ensure you praise the puppy when he or she gets it right!
When a puppy is looking to do its business it’s only concerned with going to the toilet as soon as possible and in a choice location, which will be away from food and his or her bed. For a little while you will find it on your bedroom floor and all around your house so it’s up to you to show the puppy a better spot.
The key is looking out for signs that the puppy needs the loo. These are holding its tail high, sniffing around a particular region or continually circling an area. Puppies will need to go to the loo frequently, the most likely times for them though are after they been eating or drinking, immediately after waking up (like us all!), and if they are exciting they have a tendency to go.
How to train a puppy
Spotting when the puppy is about to go is a good start. You should have a nearby spot in the garden where you can take the puppy to make it, its toilet area. Remember if you have chosen to buy one of the newly born puppies for sale then its warning system won’t be very good so the spot should be quick and easy to reach from where the puppy’s bed is located and food and play area.
Show the puppy encouragement
Make sure you always show the puppy where you want him or her to go and stay with the puppy and encourage them. Chose a command word so the puppy starts to understand what you are asking of them and ensure you praise the puppy when he or she gets it right!
Monday, 23 April 2012
Don’t Forget This Vital Dog Grooming Step
As dog owners, we understand grooming is part of caring for our
four-legged family members. We brush them, bathe them, and clip their
fur but when was the last time you brushed your dog’s teeth? Humans
brush their teeth everyday – most of us do it twice daily as well as
visit the dentist at least twice a year. Generally, our dogs only get
their teeth cleaned when they hit the six or seven year mark and by then
it can be too late to correct serious problems.
Dogs suffer from the same mouth diseases as humans. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80% of dogs suffer from periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a serious gum problem and a step up (worse) from gingivitis, which can lead to a host of health issues.
Health issues that can arise from neglecting your dog’s teeth:
For most owners, the latter is the case and if this sounds like you, try using dental treats in between dog dental care during your professional grooming appointments. Using one treat a day, will reduce the chances of disease. Although these treats are a little pricey, the cost is nothing compared to the cost of a full day at the vet for a teeth cleaning and scraping.
Second, for those do it yourself dog groomers, the dog toothbrush on the market that works great with one stroke is a three-sided dog toothbrush. It looks like something made for someone not of this planet but, it makes the job of dog dental care faster and easier giving you the opportunity to do a thorough job.
Regardless of whether you brush your dog’s teeth, have your groomer brush, or take your dog to the vet for cleaning, brushing your dogs teeth is one of the most important components in dog grooming. One of the wonderful aspects of dog ownership is being greeted every day with those sloppy kisses, wouldn’t it be perfect if their breath was always fresh. Extend your dog’s life by taking an interest in dog dental care.
Michael, a dog owner for over 25 years, has amassed an extensive knowledge of several dog breeds. Follow this link to read more dog articles from temperament to health and to shop the Discount Pet Supply Store by visiting the collection of Dog Grooming Supplies at Remarkable Dogs.com.
Dogs suffer from the same mouth diseases as humans. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80% of dogs suffer from periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a serious gum problem and a step up (worse) from gingivitis, which can lead to a host of health issues.
Health issues that can arise from neglecting your dog’s teeth:
- Multiple Infections
- Heart Disease
- Bad Breath
- Tooth Loss
For most owners, the latter is the case and if this sounds like you, try using dental treats in between dog dental care during your professional grooming appointments. Using one treat a day, will reduce the chances of disease. Although these treats are a little pricey, the cost is nothing compared to the cost of a full day at the vet for a teeth cleaning and scraping.
Second, for those do it yourself dog groomers, the dog toothbrush on the market that works great with one stroke is a three-sided dog toothbrush. It looks like something made for someone not of this planet but, it makes the job of dog dental care faster and easier giving you the opportunity to do a thorough job.
Regardless of whether you brush your dog’s teeth, have your groomer brush, or take your dog to the vet for cleaning, brushing your dogs teeth is one of the most important components in dog grooming. One of the wonderful aspects of dog ownership is being greeted every day with those sloppy kisses, wouldn’t it be perfect if their breath was always fresh. Extend your dog’s life by taking an interest in dog dental care.
Michael, a dog owner for over 25 years, has amassed an extensive knowledge of several dog breeds. Follow this link to read more dog articles from temperament to health and to shop the Discount Pet Supply Store by visiting the collection of Dog Grooming Supplies at Remarkable Dogs.com.
Dog Barking Control Made Easy – How to Stop Excessive Barking Immediately
Now that we are living closer together in apartments, condos or
houses built close to each other, there is a growing need for owners to
control their barking
dogs. Consistent or excessive barking can be annoying to both the
owner and their neighbor. The ideal way to control the barking is by
training the dog when it’s appropriate to bark and then to stop on your
command. However, with owners working long hours or who just have
hectic schedules just don’t have the time to train the dog. Training
not only takes time but it also takes consistency and patience.
Training is not an immediate solution and you will not get overnight
results. Please note: If your dog is a fear barker i.e. barking and
running with its tail between its legs and ears flat back or your dog
is aggressive please consult your veterinarian or a professional before
trying any type of bark control!
This article describes immediate solutions to control a dog’s barking habits. There are many products on the market today to stop a barking dog. The three main types are bark collars, stand alone systems and devices where you are in total control of when the dog gets a correction. All these devices are either ultrasonic, spray or electronic.
Based on my research of reviews of all these products the ultrasonic collar doesn’t seem to work very well for most dogs but the ultrasonic systems can be effective. The ultrasonic systems are stand alone devices and are made for either indoor or outdoor use. You simply place the device in your home or yard and when the dogs barks it emits an ultrasonic sound humans can’t hear and it distracts the dog from barking. A lot of people use the outdoor systems to control the barking of their neighbor’s dog. There are also handheld ultrasonic devices where you simply press the button when you want to deliver a correction. This can also be useful if you are bothered by barking dogs when you go for a walk, jog or cycle.
The most effective collars are either the citronella spray collars or the electronic bark collars. The citronella collars emit a spray when the dog barks. It distracts them plus they don’t particularly like the smell of citronella. People have had good success with this type of bark collar but it really depends on the dog’s personality. If your dog is the happy go lucky type and really wants to please you then you have a good chance this collar will work for you. If your dog is hard headed and stubborn, barks at anything and everything, then you’ll probably have more success with an electronic bark collar. Great strides have been made with these collars over the past few years where you have much more control over the amount of correction the dog receives when he bark
This article describes immediate solutions to control a dog’s barking habits. There are many products on the market today to stop a barking dog. The three main types are bark collars, stand alone systems and devices where you are in total control of when the dog gets a correction. All these devices are either ultrasonic, spray or electronic.
Based on my research of reviews of all these products the ultrasonic collar doesn’t seem to work very well for most dogs but the ultrasonic systems can be effective. The ultrasonic systems are stand alone devices and are made for either indoor or outdoor use. You simply place the device in your home or yard and when the dogs barks it emits an ultrasonic sound humans can’t hear and it distracts the dog from barking. A lot of people use the outdoor systems to control the barking of their neighbor’s dog. There are also handheld ultrasonic devices where you simply press the button when you want to deliver a correction. This can also be useful if you are bothered by barking dogs when you go for a walk, jog or cycle.
The most effective collars are either the citronella spray collars or the electronic bark collars. The citronella collars emit a spray when the dog barks. It distracts them plus they don’t particularly like the smell of citronella. People have had good success with this type of bark collar but it really depends on the dog’s personality. If your dog is the happy go lucky type and really wants to please you then you have a good chance this collar will work for you. If your dog is hard headed and stubborn, barks at anything and everything, then you’ll probably have more success with an electronic bark collar. Great strides have been made with these collars over the past few years where you have much more control over the amount of correction the dog receives when he bark
Puppy Agility Training
You may be asking, “When can I start agility training with my new
puppy?” Puppies are always learning, so every time you are with your
pup you can be playing and socializing with agility in mind. Always
remember, if you can control your puppies environment, you can teach and
train the behaviors you want, left on their own, even in a fenced
yard, puppies will learn and develop behaviors that later we may want
or need to extinguish.
One of the first behaviors we teach our pups is “Table” or “Box”. This behavior transfers to the agility pause table. But more than that, the table is the center and control point of our puppy training. We introduce pups and older dogs to the table set at a 12 inch height. If you have a very small pup you could use an 8 inch table, but even with bigger dogs we use the 12 inch table and not higher. To begin, lure pup up on a low pause table, treat him for getting on the table. Once the pup is comfortable getting up on the table, then lure the pup up to a sit. You can also lure to a down.
Next you want to work on distance to the table. If you have a person to help you you can use a white target plate on the table, take the pup and step back from the table about 3 feet. Have your helper make a noise to get the pup’s attention, and place a treat on the table. Release your pup to, “Go table.” The pup gets his reward only when getting up on the table. If you don’t have a helper, than place your treat in a covered container that will be recognized as a treat box for your pup. Leave the treat container on the table, step away from the table about 3 feet, face the table and say, “Go Table”.
If your pup is very young, you can hold him as you lift him off the table and move away from the table. If your pup is too big for you to hold then use a flatbuckle collar and light dragline for your pup.
Now introduce your jumps to your pup. But you are not going to use the jump bars yet. First you want your pup to go through or between the jump uprights. Set a jump about 4 feet away from your table. Take your pup to the other side of the jump. So you are lined up pup, jump, then table. You want to get your pups attention to the treat on the table, either with a helper or a treat container, release your pup to the table, “Go Table”. Let the pup run ahead of you, but go meet him at the table so that he can get his treat, praise him then offer him another treat for sitting on the table.
Progress with adding one extra jump at a time. Spacing the jumps about 3 feet apart. You are developing a jump chute that will lead the pup to the table. Remember your goal is to build the command, “Go” and “Table”. You are also teaching the pup to move out ahead of you, working away from you and getting comfortable working around tables and jumps. Your pup is getting familiar running through the jump uprights, but you are not focusing on having your pup jump.
With all your puppy training, have fun with your pup. Use all your puppies motivators, praise, toys, and food. It is up to you to be more interesting to your pup than all the other distractions out in the yard.
One of the first behaviors we teach our pups is “Table” or “Box”. This behavior transfers to the agility pause table. But more than that, the table is the center and control point of our puppy training. We introduce pups and older dogs to the table set at a 12 inch height. If you have a very small pup you could use an 8 inch table, but even with bigger dogs we use the 12 inch table and not higher. To begin, lure pup up on a low pause table, treat him for getting on the table. Once the pup is comfortable getting up on the table, then lure the pup up to a sit. You can also lure to a down.
Next you want to work on distance to the table. If you have a person to help you you can use a white target plate on the table, take the pup and step back from the table about 3 feet. Have your helper make a noise to get the pup’s attention, and place a treat on the table. Release your pup to, “Go table.” The pup gets his reward only when getting up on the table. If you don’t have a helper, than place your treat in a covered container that will be recognized as a treat box for your pup. Leave the treat container on the table, step away from the table about 3 feet, face the table and say, “Go Table”.
If your pup is very young, you can hold him as you lift him off the table and move away from the table. If your pup is too big for you to hold then use a flatbuckle collar and light dragline for your pup.
Now introduce your jumps to your pup. But you are not going to use the jump bars yet. First you want your pup to go through or between the jump uprights. Set a jump about 4 feet away from your table. Take your pup to the other side of the jump. So you are lined up pup, jump, then table. You want to get your pups attention to the treat on the table, either with a helper or a treat container, release your pup to the table, “Go Table”. Let the pup run ahead of you, but go meet him at the table so that he can get his treat, praise him then offer him another treat for sitting on the table.
Progress with adding one extra jump at a time. Spacing the jumps about 3 feet apart. You are developing a jump chute that will lead the pup to the table. Remember your goal is to build the command, “Go” and “Table”. You are also teaching the pup to move out ahead of you, working away from you and getting comfortable working around tables and jumps. Your pup is getting familiar running through the jump uprights, but you are not focusing on having your pup jump.
With all your puppy training, have fun with your pup. Use all your puppies motivators, praise, toys, and food. It is up to you to be more interesting to your pup than all the other distractions out in the yard.
Why Dogs Dig Holes – Seven Secrets to Stop Dog Digging Problems
It seems like every time you turn your head, your dog digs another hole in the yard. How can you stop dog digging
before your lawn looks like an artillery practice field? In order to
get your pup to stop digging holes, you need to understand why he digs
in the first place.
Why Dogs Dig
Here are common reasons for this dog behavior problem:
1. Choose your breed carefully before adopting a new pet. Although all dogs will dig, you can avoid many problems by choosing a breed that’s less inclined to dig.
2. If your canine spends a lot of time by himself, he’ll more than likely figure out how to occupy himself, usually in ways you find annoying. It’s up to you to provide something for him to do while you’re gone to prevent a dog behavior problem like digging. You may want to consider hiring a dog sitter to spend time with him, or take him to a dog day care where he’ll have other dogs to play with during the day.
3. Provide adequate shelter for him. During the cold months, he needs a dog house or some kind of shelter from the wind. In the summer he needs a shady cool area so he can get away from the hot sun. You may even want to provide him with a wading pool so he can play in the water and keep cool.
4. When you’re working in the garden, put out a sprinkler. When your canine friend starts digging in the loose dirt, turn on the sprinkler. You may even want to put it on a timer so that it comes on when he’s not expecting it. This is very effective, because he thinks that the garden is doing it to him, not you, so he’ll be less likely to dig when you’re not there.
5. Mix some chili powder with water. Use this mixture to water plants and other areas you want to dog to avoid. Canines don’t like the smell of chili powder, so they tend to avoid the area. If this doesn’t work, try using ground red pepper instead.
6. If your pup is trying to dig under the fence, bury chicken wire a couple of inches under the ground.
7. Avoid giving him bones. Instead give him a toy that you can stuff with food. He’ll stay occupied for a long time trying to get the food out.
Stimulate Your Dog’s Mind
Spend at least ten minutes a day training your dog. You’ll enjoy the time spent with your pet, and he’ll enjoy learning new things. A good dog training course will help you teach your dog what he needs to learn.
Now it’s time to start putting these suggestions into action to stop dog digging problems.
Why Dogs Dig
Here are common reasons for this dog behavior problem:
- Certain breeds, including terriers, labs, and hounds are more prone to digging.
- He’s bored or lonely.
- He needs a cool place when it’s hot, or he’s trying to find shelter when it’s cold.
- Terriers especially like to hunt moles and other creatures that live in the ground.
- He’s attracted to the smell of the fertilizer you just used, especially if it’s manure.
- He can’t resist digging around in the soil you just turned over in your garden.
- If he’s digging under the fence, he may be trying to escape.
- Canines instinctively bury food. In the wild, they come back to eat it later on.
1. Choose your breed carefully before adopting a new pet. Although all dogs will dig, you can avoid many problems by choosing a breed that’s less inclined to dig.
2. If your canine spends a lot of time by himself, he’ll more than likely figure out how to occupy himself, usually in ways you find annoying. It’s up to you to provide something for him to do while you’re gone to prevent a dog behavior problem like digging. You may want to consider hiring a dog sitter to spend time with him, or take him to a dog day care where he’ll have other dogs to play with during the day.
3. Provide adequate shelter for him. During the cold months, he needs a dog house or some kind of shelter from the wind. In the summer he needs a shady cool area so he can get away from the hot sun. You may even want to provide him with a wading pool so he can play in the water and keep cool.
4. When you’re working in the garden, put out a sprinkler. When your canine friend starts digging in the loose dirt, turn on the sprinkler. You may even want to put it on a timer so that it comes on when he’s not expecting it. This is very effective, because he thinks that the garden is doing it to him, not you, so he’ll be less likely to dig when you’re not there.
5. Mix some chili powder with water. Use this mixture to water plants and other areas you want to dog to avoid. Canines don’t like the smell of chili powder, so they tend to avoid the area. If this doesn’t work, try using ground red pepper instead.
6. If your pup is trying to dig under the fence, bury chicken wire a couple of inches under the ground.
7. Avoid giving him bones. Instead give him a toy that you can stuff with food. He’ll stay occupied for a long time trying to get the food out.
Stimulate Your Dog’s Mind
Spend at least ten minutes a day training your dog. You’ll enjoy the time spent with your pet, and he’ll enjoy learning new things. A good dog training course will help you teach your dog what he needs to learn.
Now it’s time to start putting these suggestions into action to stop dog digging problems.
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Dog Clicker Training – How To Use A Dog Clicker
Dog clicker training is one of the best dog training
methods if you wish to teach your puppy or new dog the standard
commands such as sit and stay. This kind of training takes a bit of
patience at first but will soon bring about wonderful results as you
see your dog training efforts pay off.
How Dog Clicker Training Works
The famous scientist Pavlov discovered that dogs could react in a predictable way to the sound of a bell ringing. He soon began training them by using the bell deliberately. With dog clicker training, you are training your dog to obey a particular command in conjunction with the sound of a special dog training clicker. The sound of this instrument can be heard from quite a distance away and even above the sound of traffic and other noisy distractions. When you give a command and the dog obeys, you signal their cooperation with a click. The dog will soon associate the clicker and the praise and reward with the action such as sit or stay and want to be rewarded even more.
To get started with clicker training, all you need is a cheap clicker and a bag of your dog’s favorite treats. Remember that the click is the reward for your dog obeying the command you give, along with a treat to reinforce his desire to be obedient.
Don’t ever click without it being clear that the dog has obeyed your command and is being rewarded. Click and give them a treat. Try to be consistent with the words you use for the commands you give so that you don’t confuse the dog. Command, click if he does well, then give him a treat, is the correct order to follow each and every time.
How to Get Started With Dog Clicker Training
Always be clear about what you want the dog to do, sit, stay, come. Give the order firmly. If they do it, click and give a reward. Repeat this several times in order to reinforce the command and the click.
They will soon start to associate the sound of the click with the action you wish them to perform. The other benefit of dog clicker training is how instantaneous it is. The clicker gets their attention right away, making them alert and eager for a treat. The click is even faster than the word “Sit.”
Continue with the training until the dog responds as quickly as possible to your command. Also make sure you don’t overdo the treats. Remember that dogs are eager to please, so a click and then words of praise and attention are just as good as a whole pile of dog treats.
Command-Based Dog Training
Once your dog is well-trained using the clicker, the next phases is to get him to respond to a spoken command so that you can continue your dog training even without a clicker. The dog will start to anticipate the command even before you click. He will also be eager for his reward. Command, click, treat or praise will soon become second nature to you both and the dog will associate his obedience with a happy owner and a nice treat or reward.
Dog clicker training helps you to give a short, sharp clear command in order to keep your dog under control no matter what the situation. Dog clicker training is one of the easiest ways to train a happy, cooperative dog.
How Dog Clicker Training Works
The famous scientist Pavlov discovered that dogs could react in a predictable way to the sound of a bell ringing. He soon began training them by using the bell deliberately. With dog clicker training, you are training your dog to obey a particular command in conjunction with the sound of a special dog training clicker. The sound of this instrument can be heard from quite a distance away and even above the sound of traffic and other noisy distractions. When you give a command and the dog obeys, you signal their cooperation with a click. The dog will soon associate the clicker and the praise and reward with the action such as sit or stay and want to be rewarded even more.
To get started with clicker training, all you need is a cheap clicker and a bag of your dog’s favorite treats. Remember that the click is the reward for your dog obeying the command you give, along with a treat to reinforce his desire to be obedient.
Don’t ever click without it being clear that the dog has obeyed your command and is being rewarded. Click and give them a treat. Try to be consistent with the words you use for the commands you give so that you don’t confuse the dog. Command, click if he does well, then give him a treat, is the correct order to follow each and every time.
How to Get Started With Dog Clicker Training
Always be clear about what you want the dog to do, sit, stay, come. Give the order firmly. If they do it, click and give a reward. Repeat this several times in order to reinforce the command and the click.
They will soon start to associate the sound of the click with the action you wish them to perform. The other benefit of dog clicker training is how instantaneous it is. The clicker gets their attention right away, making them alert and eager for a treat. The click is even faster than the word “Sit.”
Continue with the training until the dog responds as quickly as possible to your command. Also make sure you don’t overdo the treats. Remember that dogs are eager to please, so a click and then words of praise and attention are just as good as a whole pile of dog treats.
Command-Based Dog Training
Once your dog is well-trained using the clicker, the next phases is to get him to respond to a spoken command so that you can continue your dog training even without a clicker. The dog will start to anticipate the command even before you click. He will also be eager for his reward. Command, click, treat or praise will soon become second nature to you both and the dog will associate his obedience with a happy owner and a nice treat or reward.
Dog clicker training helps you to give a short, sharp clear command in order to keep your dog under control no matter what the situation. Dog clicker training is one of the easiest ways to train a happy, cooperative dog.
Dog Training – How To Teach Your Dog The Stay Command
Another important command your dog must learn is “stay.” This
command is very practical when you need to leave your dog to do chores
or entertain guests. It is also a life saving command when you are out
walking to prevent accidents like having a car run over your dog if you
have your dog unleashed or if you have the bad luck of having the leash
break. Training your dog to stay is definitely a must for a well
rounded canine.
The stay command is when your pet remains in the same position without moving a step. She could be seated, standing, or lying down when you do this command. Make sure that in tandem with training your dog to stay, you also make her aware of a release command. A release command is a signal that the stay command is over and they can move from the position.
Tell your dog to sit or lie down. It is good to have her on a comfortable position. You need to train your dog to stay from different positions individually. But now we will start with the seated position.
For the first few times, until your dog understands this command, you need to stay in front of your dog.
Place your hand in front of your dog as if telling her to stop. At the same time utter “stay” in a firm clear voice.
Wait for 1 to 2 seconds then say “ok.” In this case, “ok” will be our release command.
You need to exercise this about 3 to 4 times a day on a 5 minute session each.
Once you say the release command, congratulate your dog enthusiastically and give her a treat. You can do this with every successful execution.
Gradually increase the amount of time between the stay command and the release.
Once your dog understands the stay. You can up the challenge by moving a step away.
Again gradually increase the steps, adjusting to your dog’s pace of learning.
When you release your dog from the stay command encourage her to come to you and give her treats of love and cookies.
You need to understand that training your dog to stay is not an easy task. You need patience and time to get this right. Your attitude in teaching your dog will greatly affect her progress. Congratulate and show your dog that she is doing well each and every time she does it right. Do not rush the process and take as much time as needed to teach your dog this command as it will be of great benefit for the both of you.
Once you are done training your dog to stay and she has mastered this, you will have the chance to show off your pet to your guests when they visit. The most rewarding thing in the world is having a dog you can be proud of. So give time to train your dog and both of you will reap the benefits.
The stay command is when your pet remains in the same position without moving a step. She could be seated, standing, or lying down when you do this command. Make sure that in tandem with training your dog to stay, you also make her aware of a release command. A release command is a signal that the stay command is over and they can move from the position.
Tell your dog to sit or lie down. It is good to have her on a comfortable position. You need to train your dog to stay from different positions individually. But now we will start with the seated position.
For the first few times, until your dog understands this command, you need to stay in front of your dog.
Place your hand in front of your dog as if telling her to stop. At the same time utter “stay” in a firm clear voice.
Wait for 1 to 2 seconds then say “ok.” In this case, “ok” will be our release command.
You need to exercise this about 3 to 4 times a day on a 5 minute session each.
Once you say the release command, congratulate your dog enthusiastically and give her a treat. You can do this with every successful execution.
Gradually increase the amount of time between the stay command and the release.
Once your dog understands the stay. You can up the challenge by moving a step away.
Again gradually increase the steps, adjusting to your dog’s pace of learning.
When you release your dog from the stay command encourage her to come to you and give her treats of love and cookies.
You need to understand that training your dog to stay is not an easy task. You need patience and time to get this right. Your attitude in teaching your dog will greatly affect her progress. Congratulate and show your dog that she is doing well each and every time she does it right. Do not rush the process and take as much time as needed to teach your dog this command as it will be of great benefit for the both of you.
Once you are done training your dog to stay and she has mastered this, you will have the chance to show off your pet to your guests when they visit. The most rewarding thing in the world is having a dog you can be proud of. So give time to train your dog and both of you will reap the benefits.
Dog Obedience Training – The Sit Command
Before you start one of the very first steps in puppy and basic dog
obedience training, there are a few things that you should consider.
- The aim of all aspects of learning how to train a puppy or dog is to make the training session fun and interesting for your dog. If it seems like just a normal training session your puppy (especially if he is a young puppy) will soon become bored and his attention will wander.
- Make sure that you don’t make training sessions hours long – little and often is best – twice a day of five to ten minutes is perfect.
- Be clear, patient, fair and consistent – you want your puppy to succeed so make it as easy for this to happen as possible.
- As we are going to be using reward based training techniques (positive reinforcement) then you will need to have some treats in your pocket and ready to give your puppy lots of praise.
- We are often asked – What is the point of training your dog to sit? Well there are lots of reasons why this training technique is useful – firstly any obedience training is a great way for you and your dog or puppy to bond. Another reason is that it reinforces your position as pack leader and alpha male. Finally another useful reason to train your dog or puppy to sit is if your puppy gets over excited and starts jumping up all over you or strangers every time you or other people enter the House you can use this excellent training technique to instantly stop this behavior and remind your dog to sit and behave (just like you know he can)!
- Start by repeating your dogs name so that he knows you are working together and that the training session is about to start.
- Get one of the treats and raise it above your puppy’s nose and head. At this point your puppy will lift his head and an instant reaction is for your puppy to raise his head and at the same time lower his bottom.
- As soon as your puppy has lowered his bottom and is in the sit position – reward him with the treat and give him lots of praise.
- It really is that simple but as with any aspect of dog obedience training it may take you longer to perfect the techniques. Some people complain that their dog lies down when they ask him to sit, but if you constantly reward and praise your puppy at the right moment it wont be long before he masters exactly what you are asking.
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Dog Digging Problems? Stop The Digging Behavior In Your Dog Now!
One reason is that your dog may be too hot or too cool. If your dog is digging
a hole and lying in it, it will usually be some sort of a homemade
self-regulating temperature unit. Your poor dog cannot shed clothes and
layer himself in them like humans can. Therefore, he gets whatever
relief he can from the weather. The second reason why your dog may be
digging is from sheer boredom. Yes, dogs do get bored, especially if
they cannot be with their masters (meaning you) all day. They are
“man’s best friend” for a reason, but if left to their own devices, they
make up their own entertainment. Unfortunately, that could come in the
form of a digging dog behavior issue.
What you want to do is redirect that digging behavior into alternate avenues. Sometimes, it takes being sneaky and sometimes it is all a matter of physically showing him a “safe or good” place he can go on with his digging behavior without repercussions. There are certain breeds that are just prone to digging, so if your dog is one of those breeds, you will just have to take deep breaths and practice a little patience when dealing with the dog digging behavior problems. Here are some tips on how you can stop a dog from digging.
How To Stop A Dog From Digging Tip No.1
Put a surprise in the hole your dog dug. Many dogs start on a hole, leave it for a while and then come back later to continue the digging process. During one of those digging ‘breaks,’ put an unpleasant surprise in the hole. For example, some dogs don’t like water. Spray some bitter apple in the water as an extra precaution. This bitter apple spray can be found in most pet stores easily.
How To Stop The Dog Digging Problem Tip No.2
Fill the holes up with natural stuff around your yard. Dogs are partial to ‘clean’ dirt. If you put dead leaves, rocks, mulch, sticks and other undesirable doggie stuff in the hole then cover it up with a thin layer of dirt; chances are that when your dog starts digging again and finds that stuff in his hole, he will stop. And if that does not work, refill the hole again, only spray the contents down with bitter apple spray. Most dogs don’t like the smell and will stop digging in that hole.
How To Stop The Dog Digging Behavior Tip No.3
Provide a special place for your dog where he can dig safely and reprimand-free. Dogs love digging and it is in their nature. It may take some time to train your dog in digging only in that area, but it can be done. Choose a sandbox or an un-landscaped area of your yard where you don’t mind a few holes and cordon it off for your dog. Bury some dog treats for him to find and show him that he can dig in that area. Encouragement may be necessary, especially if he has been reprimanded in the past for digging. However, once he discovers he can dig there, he will be one happy dog.
When you create a special place for your dog to carry on his digging behavior, you have to keep the “excitement” going for him. Periodically bury a treat or toy so he always has something to find. Because dogs do get bored, after digging in the same spot for a while, he may decide that somewhere in another part of your yard may look better. Also, replenish the sand or dirt in his special area periodically. Dogs love fresh dirt over the packed variety. There are also instances when your dog may prefer your flower beds over his own special dog digging place. Buy some animal essence (hunters use this to attract animals during hunting season) and sprinkle it in the flower bed area. This smell of another animal may deter him from his usual digging behavior.
All of these ‘stop a dog from digging tips’ essentially retrain your dog to dig in only the proper designated places you have set for him. Just remember though, that dogs do enjoy digging and are not always malicious when they do it.
What you want to do is redirect that digging behavior into alternate avenues. Sometimes, it takes being sneaky and sometimes it is all a matter of physically showing him a “safe or good” place he can go on with his digging behavior without repercussions. There are certain breeds that are just prone to digging, so if your dog is one of those breeds, you will just have to take deep breaths and practice a little patience when dealing with the dog digging behavior problems. Here are some tips on how you can stop a dog from digging.
How To Stop A Dog From Digging Tip No.1
Put a surprise in the hole your dog dug. Many dogs start on a hole, leave it for a while and then come back later to continue the digging process. During one of those digging ‘breaks,’ put an unpleasant surprise in the hole. For example, some dogs don’t like water. Spray some bitter apple in the water as an extra precaution. This bitter apple spray can be found in most pet stores easily.
How To Stop The Dog Digging Problem Tip No.2
Fill the holes up with natural stuff around your yard. Dogs are partial to ‘clean’ dirt. If you put dead leaves, rocks, mulch, sticks and other undesirable doggie stuff in the hole then cover it up with a thin layer of dirt; chances are that when your dog starts digging again and finds that stuff in his hole, he will stop. And if that does not work, refill the hole again, only spray the contents down with bitter apple spray. Most dogs don’t like the smell and will stop digging in that hole.
How To Stop The Dog Digging Behavior Tip No.3
Provide a special place for your dog where he can dig safely and reprimand-free. Dogs love digging and it is in their nature. It may take some time to train your dog in digging only in that area, but it can be done. Choose a sandbox or an un-landscaped area of your yard where you don’t mind a few holes and cordon it off for your dog. Bury some dog treats for him to find and show him that he can dig in that area. Encouragement may be necessary, especially if he has been reprimanded in the past for digging. However, once he discovers he can dig there, he will be one happy dog.
When you create a special place for your dog to carry on his digging behavior, you have to keep the “excitement” going for him. Periodically bury a treat or toy so he always has something to find. Because dogs do get bored, after digging in the same spot for a while, he may decide that somewhere in another part of your yard may look better. Also, replenish the sand or dirt in his special area periodically. Dogs love fresh dirt over the packed variety. There are also instances when your dog may prefer your flower beds over his own special dog digging place. Buy some animal essence (hunters use this to attract animals during hunting season) and sprinkle it in the flower bed area. This smell of another animal may deter him from his usual digging behavior.
All of these ‘stop a dog from digging tips’ essentially retrain your dog to dig in only the proper designated places you have set for him. Just remember though, that dogs do enjoy digging and are not always malicious when they do it.
Stop Dog Digging
Digging
can be a hard problem to fix. Dogs dig for many reasons, including
boredom, a desire to cool down and a desire to bury a treasure. It’s a
natural instinct and is often done when no one is looking. Because of
this, the most effective approaches rely on managing the environment.
Here are some suggestions.
1. Eliminate Unsupervised Time Outside
The quickest way to end the problem is to stop giving him unsupervised access to the yard. Keep an eye on him when he’s outside and correct him any time he starts digging.
2. Bury Chicken Wire
If your dog has a favorite spot, you can try burying chicken wire under the surface. This will frustrate his digging efforts and may convince him to stop.
3. Provide Interactive Toys
Give him toys to play with when he goes outside. An item such as a Kong toy stuffed with treats will keep his attention focused on it instead of on digging.
4. Provide More Exercise
Take him for more frequent and longer walks so that he won’t have as much stored up energy.
5. Prevent Access
Prevent him from getting to his favorite areas to dig. If he enjoys destroying the garden, block off the garden. Lawn furniture usually does the trick.
6. Keep Him Inside on Hot Days
When the weather gets warm dogs will dig to get to the colder dirt underneath. Keep him inside when it’s uncomfortable outside (this is something you should do regardless of whether he digs).
7. Provide Mild Corrections
If you catch him in the act you can startle him with a noise or spray him with a water bottle. For some dogs this will solve the problem, though others will either fail to generalize and simply dig elsewhere, or keep better track on whether you’re home.
8. Set Up a Safe Zone
If you can spare some territory that he can dig in, guide him over there and reward him for digging in an appropriate spot. Just as with potty training, teaching a dog what to do is much easier than correcting all his different errors.
To solve digging problems you have to manage the environment and increase the amount of exercise your dog gets. Prevent access to areas where he digs, walk him more often and provide him with interactive toys.
1. Eliminate Unsupervised Time Outside
The quickest way to end the problem is to stop giving him unsupervised access to the yard. Keep an eye on him when he’s outside and correct him any time he starts digging.
2. Bury Chicken Wire
If your dog has a favorite spot, you can try burying chicken wire under the surface. This will frustrate his digging efforts and may convince him to stop.
3. Provide Interactive Toys
Give him toys to play with when he goes outside. An item such as a Kong toy stuffed with treats will keep his attention focused on it instead of on digging.
4. Provide More Exercise
Take him for more frequent and longer walks so that he won’t have as much stored up energy.
5. Prevent Access
Prevent him from getting to his favorite areas to dig. If he enjoys destroying the garden, block off the garden. Lawn furniture usually does the trick.
6. Keep Him Inside on Hot Days
When the weather gets warm dogs will dig to get to the colder dirt underneath. Keep him inside when it’s uncomfortable outside (this is something you should do regardless of whether he digs).
7. Provide Mild Corrections
If you catch him in the act you can startle him with a noise or spray him with a water bottle. For some dogs this will solve the problem, though others will either fail to generalize and simply dig elsewhere, or keep better track on whether you’re home.
8. Set Up a Safe Zone
If you can spare some territory that he can dig in, guide him over there and reward him for digging in an appropriate spot. Just as with potty training, teaching a dog what to do is much easier than correcting all his different errors.
To solve digging problems you have to manage the environment and increase the amount of exercise your dog gets. Prevent access to areas where he digs, walk him more often and provide him with interactive toys.
Dog Training Sit Command
One of the first commands you want to teach your dog are the basic sit, stay, down and so on.
Training your dog how to sit on command can be very fun and remember that no roughness is need in any type of dog training. Make sure you have lots of treats, patience and time.
Your dog will not know about commands at first, so he may be lost to start with and that is why repetition is important.
In order to train your dog to sit you can easily use a natural tendency it has. When you dog’s head goes up it will naturally be forced to sit.
Do this by placing a treat in your hand and place your hand over your dog’s head and move it towards its back and while you do this your dog will naturally sit. While doing this say SIT! And when your dog sits give it the treat and appraisals as well.
Let’s brake down these steps:
- Place a treat in your hand
- Place your hand over your dog’s head
- Move your hand towards your dogs back until your dog naturally sits
- While you dog is sitting say SIT!
- When your dog sits give him the treat and appraisals.
Once you get the hang of this method it is very easy. However, you will have to repeat this many times until your dog will learn to sit on command without having to wave your hand over its head.
Want to learn more about dog training? Check out these fun Dog Training TipsTraining your dog how to sit on command can be very fun and remember that no roughness is need in any type of dog training. Make sure you have lots of treats, patience and time.
Your dog will not know about commands at first, so he may be lost to start with and that is why repetition is important.
In order to train your dog to sit you can easily use a natural tendency it has. When you dog’s head goes up it will naturally be forced to sit.
Do this by placing a treat in your hand and place your hand over your dog’s head and move it towards its back and while you do this your dog will naturally sit. While doing this say SIT! And when your dog sits give it the treat and appraisals as well.
Let’s brake down these steps:
- Place a treat in your hand
- Place your hand over your dog’s head
- Move your hand towards your dogs back until your dog naturally sits
- While you dog is sitting say SIT!
- When your dog sits give him the treat and appraisals.
Once you get the hang of this method it is very easy. However, you will have to repeat this many times until your dog will learn to sit on command without having to wave your hand over its head.
Common Dog Diseases and Parasites
A good diet and plenty of exercise are important to a dog’s health,
but they can’t make a dog totally immune to illness. Early detection is
the key to helping your dog overcome any health problem. If your pet’s
stools become very loose, or you notice a marked decrease in your dog’s
appetite and/or that she is very lethargic, she may just have a
short-term “bug.” On the other hand, if any symptoms continue for more
than a few days, you should have your veterinarian examine her for
parasites and infections.
Diarrhea is a common symptom in dogs, especially puppies. It can be triggered by stress or a sudden change in food, but also by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Diarrhea causes dehydration, which can be deadly to dogs. It is extremely dangerous in puppies, because they dehydrate faster than mature dogs.
If your dog has diarrhea for more than a day, contact your veterinarian for further instructions. You will probably be asked to collect a sample and bring it in so they can examine it to determine the cause and proper treatment.
Coughing, sneezing, and discharge from your dog’s nose and/or eyes often indicate a respiratory infection. A lethargic dog with no appetite is likely fighting an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). URI, caused by airborne viruses and bacteria, is highly contagious among dogs, but is not transmitted between dogs and humans. Early detection of URI is important; ignored dogs suffer from severe dehydration and risk developing pneumonia.
Bortadella, also called ‘kennel cough” is another contagious respiratory disease commonly contracted in animal shelters, boarding kennels, or anywhere groups of dogs have close contact with one another. It is a short-term disease, and most dogs get over it with a few days of rest and tender loving care from you. It is possible to have your dog vaccinated against Bortadella – a good idea if you plan on boarding her or placing her in “doggie daycare.”
Vaccinations are also available to protect your dog against more deadly diseases such as rabies, distemper and parvovirus. Most municipalities require that all dogs are vaccinated against rabies; some include distemper and parvovirus as well. Making these vaccinations mandatory protects the health of all dogs, and, in the case of rabies, human health as well. If your dog was vaccinated as a puppy, she’s off to a good start. However, without yearly booster shots, your dog is at risk of great suffering from one of these diseases.
Dogs serve as hosts to a number of parasites. You will probably be asked to bring a fecal sample to your dog’s yearly vet appointment, so that the staff can check for the presence of internal parasites. If you notice small, rice-like granules on your pet’s bedding or around her anus, she is suffering from an infestation of worms and needs to be seen by your vet to get proper treatment. Other parasites take up residence on the outside of your dog’s body. Mange and sarcoptic mites live on the hair follicles and skin of dogs, while ear mites live on the inside of the ear. These parasites are so small you might not see them, but they cause your dog extreme discomfort. Head shaking and pawing at ears are signs of ear mites. Frequent scratching and skin-biting can indicate either skin mites or a dog’s worst enemy: fleas
Diarrhea is a common symptom in dogs, especially puppies. It can be triggered by stress or a sudden change in food, but also by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Diarrhea causes dehydration, which can be deadly to dogs. It is extremely dangerous in puppies, because they dehydrate faster than mature dogs.
If your dog has diarrhea for more than a day, contact your veterinarian for further instructions. You will probably be asked to collect a sample and bring it in so they can examine it to determine the cause and proper treatment.
Coughing, sneezing, and discharge from your dog’s nose and/or eyes often indicate a respiratory infection. A lethargic dog with no appetite is likely fighting an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). URI, caused by airborne viruses and bacteria, is highly contagious among dogs, but is not transmitted between dogs and humans. Early detection of URI is important; ignored dogs suffer from severe dehydration and risk developing pneumonia.
Bortadella, also called ‘kennel cough” is another contagious respiratory disease commonly contracted in animal shelters, boarding kennels, or anywhere groups of dogs have close contact with one another. It is a short-term disease, and most dogs get over it with a few days of rest and tender loving care from you. It is possible to have your dog vaccinated against Bortadella – a good idea if you plan on boarding her or placing her in “doggie daycare.”
Vaccinations are also available to protect your dog against more deadly diseases such as rabies, distemper and parvovirus. Most municipalities require that all dogs are vaccinated against rabies; some include distemper and parvovirus as well. Making these vaccinations mandatory protects the health of all dogs, and, in the case of rabies, human health as well. If your dog was vaccinated as a puppy, she’s off to a good start. However, without yearly booster shots, your dog is at risk of great suffering from one of these diseases.
Dogs serve as hosts to a number of parasites. You will probably be asked to bring a fecal sample to your dog’s yearly vet appointment, so that the staff can check for the presence of internal parasites. If you notice small, rice-like granules on your pet’s bedding or around her anus, she is suffering from an infestation of worms and needs to be seen by your vet to get proper treatment. Other parasites take up residence on the outside of your dog’s body. Mange and sarcoptic mites live on the hair follicles and skin of dogs, while ear mites live on the inside of the ear. These parasites are so small you might not see them, but they cause your dog extreme discomfort. Head shaking and pawing at ears are signs of ear mites. Frequent scratching and skin-biting can indicate either skin mites or a dog’s worst enemy: fleas
Friday, 20 April 2012
Dog Training Tricks – Cool Dog Tricks To Teach Your Dog
Dogs are smart animals that can learn fun and cool tricks easily
when properly trained. Teaching your dog tricks does not only make your
dog smarter, it’s also a fun thing to do for the owner. Good news is
that training a dog is not really that difficult. You can begin with
simple dog training tricks before proceeding with advanced dog training. Here’s how owners can start with simple training:
Giving treats. Dog food is one of the most helpful things that trainers can use for simple dog training because these pets react easily to food. The trainer can begin with giving treats for dog behavior training until the dog becomes more obedient to commands even if there’s no more treat.
Repetition. When teaching dog tricks the trainer has to be patient because pet dogs understand better from repetition. In this way, there is more consistency and the behavior or actions that they have learned become more solid.
Regular training. Like regular exercise for optimum results, dog agility training should be done every day so the pet will not forget the tricks they are taught. Doing this will make the lessons such as the training process, the commands and the dog’s obedience stick with them and continue on.
Dog clickers. Using a clicker to teach dog tricks is also very helpful especially because the hearing sense of dogs is very sensitive. They respond to the sound that the clicker makes and it will be easier for them to familiarize the command and the sound so clicker dog training tricksare essential.
Hand motions. Aside from using dog clickers, the trainer can also use hand motions to teach fun dog tricks. When they see physical commands such as rolling over, they can associate the verbal command with the hand movements.
Basic commands. One way of curing dog aggression or unwanted behaviors is to teach them basic commands like sit stay fetch. They serve as the fundamental ways that make toilet training dogs easier to achieve. Moreover, the basic commands also pave the way for advanced dog training for more difficult or impressive tricks.
The Benefits of Teaching Dog Tricks
It is important for trainers to keep in mind that training your dog to do tricks should be safe for the pet and any training technique that may hurt them is not advisable. Training your dog should not be too stressful also which means you don’t need to spend the entire day to do the training. Keeping it short will make the pet more focused and willing to get back to it the next day.
Some trainers may want to enroll their pets in group trainings so their dog can socialize with other pets while some prefer individual training. Both methods for teaching dog tricks are highly effective so the owners can choose whichever suits them.
The importance of simple dog training and teaching dogs the basic commands is that it improves their behavior and trains them to avoid doing unpleasant behaviors such as chewing on shoes or carpets or peeing on the wrong places. While training your dog to walk on a leash, you can also teach them proper toilet training. Further, basic training and teaching them to come, sit, stay or stand can promote bonding and play time between owner and pet. Treats can also be used to lure the dog to do the commands and should be given to pets every time they do a trick successfully
Advanced dog training often makes performers out of dogs and people become more impressed or entertained with them because of this. Learning the basics will prepare the dogs to do more complicated tricks such as backing up, catching something, crawling, dancing, playing dead or shaking. Compared to basics commands, training your dogs to do tricks like these also require more persistence from the trainer and the training doesn’t need to be every day.
If they teach dog tricks to pets, trainers can develop better communication with dogs and in return, the pets will open up more to trainers. The pet may also gain more confidence from the training and their high energy can be put to good use. Moreover, some people are afraid of dogs and one way to make them feel less threatened around these pets is if they see the dogs performing impressive and fun dog tricks.
Dog training tricks can be quite a lot of work, require a lot of patience and need sufficient time but returns rewarding experiences both for dogs and trainers or owners.
Giving treats. Dog food is one of the most helpful things that trainers can use for simple dog training because these pets react easily to food. The trainer can begin with giving treats for dog behavior training until the dog becomes more obedient to commands even if there’s no more treat.
Repetition. When teaching dog tricks the trainer has to be patient because pet dogs understand better from repetition. In this way, there is more consistency and the behavior or actions that they have learned become more solid.
Regular training. Like regular exercise for optimum results, dog agility training should be done every day so the pet will not forget the tricks they are taught. Doing this will make the lessons such as the training process, the commands and the dog’s obedience stick with them and continue on.
Dog clickers. Using a clicker to teach dog tricks is also very helpful especially because the hearing sense of dogs is very sensitive. They respond to the sound that the clicker makes and it will be easier for them to familiarize the command and the sound so clicker dog training tricksare essential.
Hand motions. Aside from using dog clickers, the trainer can also use hand motions to teach fun dog tricks. When they see physical commands such as rolling over, they can associate the verbal command with the hand movements.
Basic commands. One way of curing dog aggression or unwanted behaviors is to teach them basic commands like sit stay fetch. They serve as the fundamental ways that make toilet training dogs easier to achieve. Moreover, the basic commands also pave the way for advanced dog training for more difficult or impressive tricks.
The Benefits of Teaching Dog Tricks
It is important for trainers to keep in mind that training your dog to do tricks should be safe for the pet and any training technique that may hurt them is not advisable. Training your dog should not be too stressful also which means you don’t need to spend the entire day to do the training. Keeping it short will make the pet more focused and willing to get back to it the next day.
Some trainers may want to enroll their pets in group trainings so their dog can socialize with other pets while some prefer individual training. Both methods for teaching dog tricks are highly effective so the owners can choose whichever suits them.
The importance of simple dog training and teaching dogs the basic commands is that it improves their behavior and trains them to avoid doing unpleasant behaviors such as chewing on shoes or carpets or peeing on the wrong places. While training your dog to walk on a leash, you can also teach them proper toilet training. Further, basic training and teaching them to come, sit, stay or stand can promote bonding and play time between owner and pet. Treats can also be used to lure the dog to do the commands and should be given to pets every time they do a trick successfully
Advanced dog training often makes performers out of dogs and people become more impressed or entertained with them because of this. Learning the basics will prepare the dogs to do more complicated tricks such as backing up, catching something, crawling, dancing, playing dead or shaking. Compared to basics commands, training your dogs to do tricks like these also require more persistence from the trainer and the training doesn’t need to be every day.
If they teach dog tricks to pets, trainers can develop better communication with dogs and in return, the pets will open up more to trainers. The pet may also gain more confidence from the training and their high energy can be put to good use. Moreover, some people are afraid of dogs and one way to make them feel less threatened around these pets is if they see the dogs performing impressive and fun dog tricks.
Dog training tricks can be quite a lot of work, require a lot of patience and need sufficient time but returns rewarding experiences both for dogs and trainers or owners.
Puppy Care – 5 Things New Dog Owners Should Know
Are you a new dog owner with absolutely no experience in puppy care?
You are not alone. Many owners have gone through the same thing. There
is so much to know yet it is not that difficult for you to learn.
You probably are aware that puppies have needs that can be compared to children’s needs. For instance, they need health care, hygienic living conditions, nutritious food and training. If you’re just starting out however, you probably are not sure exactly what that means to your puppy.
Health care
Your puppy needs regular vaccinations that will continue throughout his life to protect him from several serious diseases, some that can actually take his life. The first thing on your list is to find a good veterinarian who you trust.
Hygienic living conditions
While you might think that dogs have stronger constitutions than humans, this is not really true. They are just as susceptible to becoming ill from poor living conditions. If your puppy’s bedding is filthy, for instance, he can become infested with fleas and ticks which steal his blood and cause severe skin infections.
Nutritious food
If your puppy does not get quality puppy food from the very beginning, he can suffer some very serious growth, health and developmental problems. Puppies need certain nutrients for building bones, healthy connective tissues, healthy organs, well-developed brains and maintaining robust energy. Improper feeding can cause severe problems now and throughout your dog’s life.
Training
You might not think that training belongs under the heading of puppy care, but it is training that would help determine your puppy’s happiness and his overall feelings about himself. Proper training and plenty of praise will boost your puppy’s confidence. A confident puppy who has been given the proper care from the beginning will grow into a healthy, energetic and obedient adult.
Puppies Will Be Puppies
Just remember that puppies will be puppies. As humans, we tend to exaggerate the extent of puppies’ unwanted behavior. If your puppy chews your favorite shoes or damages your carpet, you are might see this as a major crime.
If this is your first puppy, understand that digging, chewing, barking and jumping are all natural. These activities are not wrong from your puppy’s point of view. Don’t get angry. It is your job to teach him that this is unacceptable behavior. Puppy care doesn’t have to be difficult. It is all about how you approach being a new dog owner.
You probably are aware that puppies have needs that can be compared to children’s needs. For instance, they need health care, hygienic living conditions, nutritious food and training. If you’re just starting out however, you probably are not sure exactly what that means to your puppy.
Health care
Your puppy needs regular vaccinations that will continue throughout his life to protect him from several serious diseases, some that can actually take his life. The first thing on your list is to find a good veterinarian who you trust.
Hygienic living conditions
While you might think that dogs have stronger constitutions than humans, this is not really true. They are just as susceptible to becoming ill from poor living conditions. If your puppy’s bedding is filthy, for instance, he can become infested with fleas and ticks which steal his blood and cause severe skin infections.
Nutritious food
If your puppy does not get quality puppy food from the very beginning, he can suffer some very serious growth, health and developmental problems. Puppies need certain nutrients for building bones, healthy connective tissues, healthy organs, well-developed brains and maintaining robust energy. Improper feeding can cause severe problems now and throughout your dog’s life.
Training
You might not think that training belongs under the heading of puppy care, but it is training that would help determine your puppy’s happiness and his overall feelings about himself. Proper training and plenty of praise will boost your puppy’s confidence. A confident puppy who has been given the proper care from the beginning will grow into a healthy, energetic and obedient adult.
Puppies Will Be Puppies
Just remember that puppies will be puppies. As humans, we tend to exaggerate the extent of puppies’ unwanted behavior. If your puppy chews your favorite shoes or damages your carpet, you are might see this as a major crime.
If this is your first puppy, understand that digging, chewing, barking and jumping are all natural. These activities are not wrong from your puppy’s point of view. Don’t get angry. It is your job to teach him that this is unacceptable behavior. Puppy care doesn’t have to be difficult. It is all about how you approach being a new dog owner.
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