Showing posts with label Dog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dog. Show all posts

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Dog Training Schools To Dog Training Box By Daniels Billions

Daniels Billions

So, you bought a puppy. Now what? He is cute and adorable, but now the fun starts. He or she starts chewing your shoes, going to the bathroom where he shouldn’t and many other natural behaviors that will soon turn into destructive or just plain annoying habits. Dogs will bark at anything, do you want a barking dog that howls at every sound that he hears? Do you want her chewing up all of your shoes and furniture? Dog training is essential. There are many things you can do when you first start training your dog, but the first thing is that you understand completely the responsibility of being a dog owner.


The necessary elements of pet ownership and dog training include: socialization, nutrition, love, training, veterinarian are and a good regular exercise plan. Dogs which are tied up, kenneled all day or even crated all day are considered in my opinion a neglected dog. These constraints will produce a dog with serious behavioral problems. It is up to you to make sure your dog gets plenty of love, freedom to play, and gets regular exercise, and not just when it is convenient for you.


Biting dogs and mouthing is very common in puppies and dogs especially during play time. Dogs must learn to control their bite and to do it normally. They naturally would learn this from their mothers or litter mates and in the wild, their pack mates, but we take them away from this at a very young age, so it is now our responsibility to take over the training. This should be controlled by the time the puppy is four months old, by allowing your dog or puppy to get socialized with other socialized dogs and puppies this will continue with their natural course of training. During play time with other puppies, they tend to bite each other at any location they can get their mouths on, this is the exact place they learn how to control their biting. If you do not socialize your dog, this creates an and can cause biting.


Two key factors in your training are trust and respect. If you dog doesn’t trust you how can he respect you? If you don’t develop these two factors, you will not be able to train your dog successfully.


You should never hit, kick, slap, bite or beat your dog. This will definitely make the dog not trust you, he may still love you as they usually have unconditional love for their owners, but without the trust factor you may be in trouble. For example, if you are house training your puppy, never punish or reprimand them even if you catch them doing it. You have no right to punish the dog as if he goes in the wrong place it is your fault and not his.


Some things to remember on teaching your dog not to bite:


1. Punishment alone will not stop the biting dog
2. You must gain respect or the training will fail, act like a puppy or littermate, the puppy will begin to treat you as a playmate
3. A dog may bite out of fear or lack of confidence, so trust is essential
4. Be consistent with your training, make sure the dog knows you love him, its just the biting you do not like.


If you follow many of these simple rules, then you will have success with your dog. Good luck and love your dog, they are incredible animals.


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=116839&ca=Pets

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Dog Training Schools To Dog Training Box By Daniels Billions

Daniels Billions

So, you bought a puppy. Now what? He is cute and adorable, but now the fun starts. He or she starts chewing your shoes, going to the bathroom where he shouldn’t and many other natural behaviors that will soon turn into destructive or just plain annoying habits. Dogs will bark at anything, do you want a barking dog that howls at every sound that he hears? Do you want her chewing up all of your shoes and furniture? Dog training is essential. There are many things you can do when you first start training your dog, but the first thing is that you understand completely the responsibility of being a dog owner.


The necessary elements of pet ownership and dog training include: socialization, nutrition, love, training, veterinarian are and a good regular exercise plan. Dogs which are tied up, kenneled all day or even crated all day are considered in my opinion a neglected dog. These constraints will produce a dog with serious behavioral problems. It is up to you to make sure your dog gets plenty of love, freedom to play, and gets regular exercise, and not just when it is convenient for you.


Biting dogs and mouthing is very common in puppies and dogs especially during play time. Dogs must learn to control their bite and to do it normally. They naturally would learn this from their mothers or litter mates and in the wild, their pack mates, but we take them away from this at a very young age, so it is now our responsibility to take over the training. This should be controlled by the time the puppy is four months old, by allowing your dog or puppy to get socialized with other socialized dogs and puppies this will continue with their natural course of training. During play time with other puppies, they tend to bite each other at any location they can get their mouths on, this is the exact place they learn how to control their biting. If you do not socialize your dog, this creates an and can cause biting.


Two key factors in your training are trust and respect. If you dog doesn’t trust you how can he respect you? If you don’t develop these two factors, you will not be able to train your dog successfully.


You should never hit, kick, slap, bite or beat your dog. This will definitely make the dog not trust you, he may still love you as they usually have unconditional love for their owners, but without the trust factor you may be in trouble. For example, if you are house training your puppy, never punish or reprimand them even if you catch them doing it. You have no right to punish the dog as if he goes in the wrong place it is your fault and not his.


Some things to remember on teaching your dog not to bite:


1. Punishment alone will not stop the biting dog
2. You must gain respect or the training will fail, act like a puppy or littermate, the puppy will begin to treat you as a playmate
3. A dog may bite out of fear or lack of confidence, so trust is essential
4. Be consistent with your training, make sure the dog knows you love him, its just the biting you do not like.


If you follow many of these simple rules, then you will have success with your dog. Good luck and love your dog, they are incredible animals.


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=116839&ca=Pets

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Help Your Dog Sleep Through The Night By Jerry Brecken

Jerry Brecken

Dogs, like humans, also experience sleepless nights for some reasons that are apparently found in our homes. In this regard, it is very important that dog owners have a keen sense of observation when it comes to a dog's sleeping disorder. Although this may seem like a very ambitious task, a careful attention paid on a dog's well-exhibited difficulties in sleeping is proven beneficial both to the dog and its owner.


However, as with all the other problems concerning the behavior and habits of a dog, the solution to the problem does not take effect after a mere 24 hours. This requires practice and constant monitoring of the dog's reaction to the drills. But, the task can be actually made simple if dog owners would take the full responsibility in performing the following:


Observe and take a careful note on any change that might have triggered the occurrence of modification in your dog's sleeping habits. Your dog may be reacting to several situations like a sudden change in its crate or lounge, or in your furniture set-up, a stressful incident, or a house party. Keep in mind that the smallest change in its environment will cause some sort of a disturbance in your dog's schema of daily events, which will lead to difficulty in sleeping. Identify what is the cause and do something about it, like re-arranging the furniture to their original plan that your dog has been accustomed to, or putting the dog back in the crate where it is used to take a rest.


Give the dog a well-balanced diet. The diet depends on your dog's age. This usually requires more calorie intake for young dogs. Such distribution gives puppies the essential nutrients they need for their growth. On the other hand, older dogs require just the right amount of calories that will support their daily activities.


For the most part, the diet is effective if you always let your dog eat on time, if not earlier than its bedtime. This is particularly important as dogs are energetic after meals. Feeding your dog a short moment before it should actually sleep will most likely give it the energy to move around, bark, and whine while the neighborhood is asleep.


Provide supplements that will help your dog relax. Calming products (which are usually taken orally) will do the magic as these will provide relief from restlessness, nervousness, fear, and aggression, which will yield to a sound slumber for both of you.


Have your dog undergo daily exercise. Generally, your dog should have at least 40 minutes of walking, running, and other exercise regimen everyday. If your dog has too much stored energy, it is more likely to be wriggly at night, just when you are having a beautiful dream. Helping your dog to tire itself before bed time will be ideal, as it will be drained of any excess energy, which can spell sleep disruptions to both of you.


Set a definite sleeping time. Help your dog practice a definite sleeping time. Ideally, you should pattern your dog's bedtime to yours.


Keep your pet's sleeping area clean and comfortable. See to it that your dog doesn't sleep on a damp, cold area, as it will be a major cause of restlessness. Give your pet comfort items like blanket or pillow. Remember that your main goal is to provide total comfort and security for your dog. Dog beds and dog crates will do the trick.


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=179373&ca=Pets

Monday, October 26, 2009

Professional's Secret To Training Your Dog By Sandy Finley

Sandy Finley

I’m a professional dog trainer. I’ve had formal education, studied with other accomplished trainers and worked with dogs for nearly thirty years. It’s no secret why I can do things with dogs that seem amazing to the average person.


But training your dog is about you and your dog, not me. If I can’t give you some useful nugget of knowledge that will cause a change in how you relate to your dog, then I’ve failed both you and your dog.


The most important thing I’ve found to teach the average dog owner is a simple universal dog behavior, which will allow you to teach your dog any trick or cure almost any problem behavior.


Simply keep in mind the simple axiom the “Dogs do not engage in unrewarding behavior”. That’s it. Remember this and you can accomplish anything with a dog.To use this powerful tool, you employ a strategy that I call “shaping”. What this means is that by using the superior intellect of a human over a dog, you shape their environment to create rewarding outcomes for positive actions and unrewarding outcomes for negative actions.


Let’s take the example of your dog jumping up on you with his muddy paws. This is a negative action. But it can also be very rewarding to a frisky dog that wants to get as close to master’s face as possible, as quickly as possible. Now here’s where much confusion comes in to the dog owner. One book or trainer says to turn your back on the dog, another source says to spray him in the face with a squirt bottle, and another says to knee him in the chest. Who’s right?


They all are right.


What they’re telling you is that you want to make jumping unrewarding for your dog. If you consistently squirt, turn your back or do something that is unpleasant and unrewarding your dog will stop jumping up on you. I guarantee it. When he doesn’t jump, you praise him and make the experience of greeting you in a civilized fashion rewarding. The dog will pick the rewarding behavior every time.


I mentioned that we humans have a superior intellect over dogs. Have fun and use it. If your dog is a ten pound Yorkshire terrier, I’d suggest you use a squirt bottle or turning your back. If your dog is a two hundred pound Rottweiler, then a firm knee to the chest might be more appropriate. Ponder the problem and create a negative and positive outcome for your dog. In this way you have allowed your dog to teach themselves when they invariably choose the rewarding behavior. So please forget about learning some magical technique that must be some secret that only the pros understand. The magic is in not “training” your dog but offering your dog choices that will allow them to train themselves. Try it. You’ll like the results.


Sandy Finley Perfect Manners Dog Training


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=182535&ca=Pets

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Give The Dog A Book By Holly Sherburne

Holly Sherburne

Six-year-old Daria of Bath, Maine, heard about Paws for Reading at the Patten Free Library and wanted to participate—she had seen kids reading to dogs on TV and wondered what that might be like. Her mother enrolled her in the reading program and tonight, Daria is excited about reading her first book to a dog named Linus.


Paws for Reading, a new summer program at the Bath library, offers children in grades 2 through 4 the opportunity to practice their reading skills by reading aloud to a dog. Read to a dog? But, why? Because dogs provide an attentive audience in an unthreatening environment in which a child can practice reading without the worry of being criticized or corrected. The Paws for Reading program connects kids with local therapy dogs and their handlers and gives them a chance to interact in a fun and motivational setting.


Daria Meets Linus


Linus, a 7-year-old Shetland Sheepdog, is one of six therapy dogs participating in the library’s summer program. Highly trained, he has an impressive resume. Linus holds the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen certificate and he is registered with Therapy Dogs International, Inc., a volunteer organization that provides qualified handlers and their trained dogs to libraries, nursing homes or hospitals and other places where therapy dogs are needed. Linus also recently qualified as a Reading Education Assistance Dog. This evening he will listen as children read stories to him.


When Daria arrives, she meets Linus in the children’s library. Daria tentatively pets Linus and feels his soft, thick fur—he takes all the attention in stride. The librarian chose “Little Squeegy Bug” by Bill Martin for Daria to read before leading the two to a quiet room. Here, Daria sits on the big, comfortable blanket on the floor while Linus stretches out beside her as she opens the book to begin reading.


Susan Beegel, Linus’ handler, shares the blanket with Linus and Daria and remains with them during the 30-minute reading session. Therapy dog handlers are trained to use the dogs as conduits in the reading session. If a child struggles with pronouncing a word, Beegel might say, “Linus likes to sound the word out.” To help with vocabulary and story comprehension, she might suggest, “Linus hasn’t heard that word before. Can you tell him what it means?” The handler acts as the dog’s interpreter, allowing the child to become a teacher, and to learn and practice reading skills in an environment created to make the child feel confident.


Paws for Reading


The Patten Free Library based its Paws for Reading program on Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.), a program developed by Intermountain Therapy Animals, a Utah-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life through the human-animal bond. R.E.A.D. was established in 1999 and pioneered the method of reading to a therapy dog as a means to improve children’s reading and communication skills.


Oftentimes, when children are asked to read aloud to their peers, they become stressed and anxious for fear of being criticized or looking “dumb.” These worries make it difficult for the child to focus on reading and comprehension, especially for those who are just learning to read. However, when a child reads aloud to a dog, she forgets about feeling self-conscious and worries less about making mistakes. The positive interaction leads to an improvement in reading skills and an increase in confidence.


Beegel, a Patten Free Library board member, first broached the idea of a reading program at the library after she heard about R.E.A.D. She and Linus had already been involved in therapy work for some time and she has worked as a reading tutor for children in a number of different programs. The library’s director, Anne Phillips, was intrigued and supportive of the idea and Paws for Reading was born. The program fits perfectly with the library’s summer reading theme, Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales.


Therapy Dogs


Not just any dog can do what Linus does in the library—it takes special training and preparation for both the dog and the handler. All the dogs in the Paws for Reading program are trained therapy dogs and their trained handlers always accompany them. Dogs and handlers are certified by national organizations, including Therapy Dogs International, Inc., Therapy Dogs, Inc. or Delta Society’s Pet Partners Program.


According to the Patten Free Library’s Paws for Reading flier, “Therapy dogs must pass rigorous examinations in training and temperament given by a qualified judge. They must have excellent obedience skills and demonstrate that they are not unduly nervous, shy or aggressive to people or other dogs. Therapy dogs must be able to focus on their handlers in distracting circumstances and must enjoy interacting with all kinds of people.”


Some of the documented benefits of interacting with therapy animals include lowering of blood pressure, increased relaxation and a tendency to forget about pain and limitations. Given the extensive training therapy dogs receive and the soothing effects their presence can have on people, it is a natural extension that they be used in children’s reading programs.


Patrick and Martha


Patrick and Martha are also members of the Paws for Reading therapy dog team. They are present this evening with their handlers to observe Linus and Beegel. Both Patrick and Martha are certified therapy dogs and anxious to begin their work.


Patrick is a 2-year-old Standard Poodle. He has a championship title in American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation showing and experience working in nursing homes. Patrick loves kids and clearly wants each one in the library to come say hello to him. His handler, Joan Harrigan, works for the TD Banknorth Insurance Agency, which encourages volunteerism. “I feel that I owe it to the community to give back. What better way than to combine my love of dogs and volunteer at the same time?” says Harrigan.


Martha is a 15-month-old Old English Sheepdog. She is an AKC Canine Good Citizen and she passed her therapy dog test this month. May Mitchell, Martha’s handler, says, “This is what Martha loves to do—sit and be paid attention to; sit and be petted. She loves kids.” Mitchell adds that Martha is a little shy and that the Paws for Reading program is a “good introduction to her therapy dog work because it is a quiet setting.” If this works out well, they will do some work in nursing homes as well.


Successful Start


Nyree Thomas has been a children’s librarian at the Patten Free Library since 1985. She said that although the program has just begun, she is able to tell from the smiles on the kids’ faces when they finish a session that this program will be very popular. “There is a wonderful connection that can occur between dogs and people,” she added.


It looks like Thomas might be right. When Daria emerges from the reading room with Linus and Beegel, she greets her mother with a smile on her face. Before she leaves that evening, she and her mother spend a few minutes looking at photos of the other therapy dogs in the reading program. Daria points to a picture of Danny, a cute brown Border Terrier. It appears that Danny and his handler have a reading appointment for next week.


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=182517&ca=Pets

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Your Dog's Healthy Lifestyle And Organic Dog Foods By Shabi

Shabi

Just like you want to stay healthy and live a healthy lifestyle, so too should your pet live a similar healthy lifestyle. This is not a luxury that either of you can forego, and getting organic dog food for your dog is one of the few things that you can do to keep your faithful companion in the best of health.


Organic dog food can be found readily at many stores now, although probably not in smaller townships and such where organic foods and the fad of going organic has not yet fully caught on. If this is the case you might need to go to a specialty store or a health food store to obtain organic dog food for your dog.


The question you might want to ask however might be why you would want to go to so much trouble to get organic dog food for your dog. Well, besides the healthy aspect of things, by giving your dog organic dog food, you can be assured that no poisonous chemicals in the form of fertilizers and pesticides are getting into his system.


Organic dog food just like the organic foods we eat, are also free of genetically modified organisms. When you take all of these coupled together with the fact that organic foods are also produced using the best natural methods for the earth, it all makes one convincing case to go out and get your dog organic dog food.


The one thing that might give you pause for thought when looking at getting organic dog food is the prohibitive costs that you will encounter. Granted, the costs aren’t as high as they were a few years ago when organic dog food came out on the market, but they can still be pretty staggering if you have to manage on a tight budget.


Then of course you have the problem of not knowing whether your dog will actually take to his new diet. Some canine companions are notoriously picky when it comes to their meals and a change from the norm might incur what amounts to a food strike, from your dog until you give him back his normal fare.


If you know that your dog is one of these picky eaters (I know that mine is definitely a picky eater!) you might want to first introduce the organic dog food to their diets in slow stages.


This helps to make it easier on your pockets, and in the unlikely event that your dog dislikes his new organic dog food you know that you won’t be stuck with a whopping bag of dog feed on your hands.


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=181316&ca=Pets

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Dog Training At Home Tips And Techniques By Robert Weiner

Robert Weiner

Teaching your dog acceptable behavior patterns and tricks is not difficult using techniques proven by dog training experts. Dogs are intelligent and loyal, but it takes time for them to learn your ‘language’ and the meaning of your words. With patience and persistence, you can easily teach him your desired conduct, and create a close bond with your dog.


The most important aspect of dog training is consistency. To have a well-behaved dog, everyone who cares for or is normally in close contact with your dog should know the proper commands. Always use the same word for a desired action. If you teach him to lie down using the word ‘down’, do not expect him to get off the sofa with the command ‘down’. Using the command ‘stay’ one day and ‘wait’ the next, will only cause frustration and confusion in your dogs mind. Dogs are intelligent enough to learn hundreds of commands, but single word commands are easier for dogs to learn and understand. Be uniform in meting out punishment as well. Hit of miss punishment is very counterproductive to good behavior.


Let your dog know you are pleased with him by showing him happiness and affection. Petting and play tell him he is a good dog. When punishment is due, a strong harsh word will let him know you are not happy with his action. Hitting your dog will make him fear you and cause aggressive behavior.


Your dog is naturally a pack animal, and for him to be well adjusted he needs to feel like he is part of your “pack”. A dog cannot feel part of your pack if you keep him isolated and only let him out on occasion to mingle with the family. The only way for your dog to feel part of the pack and to learn the “pack order” is for him to live with the family. Living with the family, your dog will learn his place in the group especially relating with children.


Playtime, walks, and exercise are a vital part of a dog’s life to prevent him from becoming bored, mischievous, and destructive due to pent up energy. To keep your dog from getting lonely, take him to meet the neighbors and their dogs. Chewing, incessant barking, digging are signs of stress, boredom, and frustration. If he chews, make sure he has plenty of chew toys, or give him raw bones. For digging, provide a place in the yard where he can dig without destroying your garden. Vary his routine every now and then by letting him spend a day at doggy day care so he can meet new friends. An occasional trip to a dog park will do wonders for your dog’s disposition.


A happy, well-behaved, well-adjusted dog will be your reward for patience and consistency in your dog training efforts.


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=181829&ca=Pets

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Eight Tips To Reduce Dog Flatulence. By Andy Machin

Andy Machin

If your dog is prone to an occasional bout of flatulence or excessive gas it can be embarrassing as well as smelly. Your dog might not like it too much either. I have prepared eight short tips below which may help to reduce dog flatulence.


Tip 1. Give your dog a good quality diet. Feed your pooch with only the best dog food you can afford.


Tip 2. Don’t feed your dog food which you know is likely to give cause to gas and flatulence. Think about it – you know what gives you gas so feeding your dog on the same is likely to cause the same result!


Tip 3. After your dog has eaten, given them a spoonful of natural yoghurt as a little treat. This can aid digestion and help to prevent a flatulence outbreak.


Tip 4. If your dog is prone to “wolfing” down his food, try feeding them on a “little and often” basis. If your dog is “wolfing” he’s swallowing air with his food – a cause of flatulence. Feeding little and often can help to cut down on that.


Tip 5. Raise his bowl off the floor a little. You can buy, inexpensively, dog bowl stands. This can help him to eat at a “natural” height and also help to stop him “wolfing” and swallowing air.


Tip 6. Try to cut out those treats you can help but dish out when your dog gives you “that” look. It’ll help to keep his weight down too. Or if you really must give in to temptation from time to time, give him a little piece of chicken or good quality kibble.


Tip 7. Regular exercise. A dog who gets his share of “walkies” will be a happy and healthy dog. Another aid to digestion and flatulence prevention measure. Plus – if any gas does “escape” while your out with your dog it can escape “naturally” and not cause a “nasty smell” in your house.


Tip 8. Talk to your vet about vitamin supplements – the right vitamins can help cut down on dog flatulence as well as being good for your dog’s health in general.


Hopefully the tips above can help to reduce your dog’s flatulence. Perhaps the best tip is the most obvious one. That is to keep your dog as fit and healthy as possible. He or she will certainly be all the better for it. And at any time if you feel your dog is overly flatulent or not as well as he might be generally consult a vet as soon as possible.


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=176921&ca=Pets