Dog Information Archives - Page 40 of 62

The Right Way To Play With Your Dog

May 31, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Believe it or not, many dog owners do not know how to play with their dogs. During the first session in most puppy classes, a good trainer makes each owner play with his or her dog for a couple of minutes so they can observe their interaction. The usual scenario seen is the puppy jumping up on the owner and the owner not knowing how to respond, or else the puppy runs away from an owner because the owner isn’t playing with her. Few owners get down on their knees and play with their puppies.

This stems from social conditioning. As adults, we don’t allow ourselves to be kids. We inhibit the childlike qualities within us. Did you ever see a child play with a dog? Kids have no problem playing with dogs; they are always willing to have some fun. People always ask what kinds of dogs are good with children. My response is that any dog is great as long as the dog is properly integrated into the family.

Children are ideal playmates for puppies because they have such natural enthusiasm and energy. Pups pick up on that. Observe how kids play – they laugh, they giggle, their actions and faces are full of animation, and their voices full of joy. Such positive energy always draws a puppy’s attention.

Using structured games also keep the activities between pups and children more organized. It avoids the roughhousing that can happen between kids and puppies if left to their own devices.

Use Your Home As A Training Area

Your house is a rich training ground – you can use your chairs, table, area rugs, hallways, living room furniture, bathroom and bedroom doors, and stairways to create all kinds of games and challenges. For example, teaching your puppy to wait at the bottom or the top of a stairway before taking her up or down creates a pattern she will use later when you want her to wait at a curb on a busy street. Be creative with the use of your home.

All games should be played no longer than five minutes at a time. If your pup gets bored in less than five minutes, then don’t force her to play. Remember, she is a puppy and will be easily distracted by almost everything around her. Let her explore and be distracted; this is how she experiences the world.

10 Tips For Dog Owners With Disabilities

May 30, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

If caring for your dog has become difficult because of weakness, here are some suggestions for strengthening your physical resources:

1. When it comes time for your dog to visit the veterinarian, investigate mobile veterinarians who will come to your house to see your pet. Mobile veterinarians are especially helpful if you have large dogs or several pets. The mobile veterinarian can check on all of the pets at one time and give each one his annual vaccinations in one visit. Check the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory under Veterinarians for listings.

2. If you must have your dog groomed, contact a groomer who operates a mobile facility and, like mobile veterinarians, will come to your home to conduct the necessary grooming.

3. If you need help giving your dog medicine, fluids, or shots, ask your veterinarian if he or she knows of anyone who will make home visits. If not, contact local pet-sitters to find ones who will assist you. Many pet-sitters are trained to perform these functions for the sick pet for owners who cannot perform them for themselves or for owners when they are away.

4. When feeding and watering your dog, use large bowls so that you don’t have to refill them as often.

5. Ask a friend or neighbor to divide your dog’s food into smaller containers so that you can lift what you need more easily.

6. To play with your dog, use flashlights or laser pointers. Dogs love chasing the light, and you won’t have to make a move.

7. If you have difficulty performing basic functions for yourself, investigate the use of a service or assistance dog. Assistance dogs are trained to help people with physical limitations perform their everyday functions. Assistance dogs are accepted in public places just as guide dogs and hearing dogs are.

8. If you are planning to get a dog, find one with an activity level that is less than yours. Dogs do a great job forcing their owners to get exercise and fresh air each day, but an overly active dog can be a handful when your energy hits bottom. Before adopting or purchasing a dog, investigate the breed characteristics and think twice about bringing home one of the more active breeds.

9. A dog, even a small one, may be able to pull the leash out of your hand or even pull you to the ground if you suffer from weakness. Walking your dog in ice or snow may be completely out of the question. As an alternative, use a radio collar as a virtual leash when your dog needs to go outside to potty In time and with practice, you may not have to activate the radio collar because your dog will know the spatial boundaries you have set.

7 Ways To Get Your Dog To Stop Chewing Your Stuff

May 25, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Does your dog seem to have an oral fixation? Does he want to put things in his mouth that he shouldn’t? Dogs chew objects for a variety of reasons. Puppies chew because they are teething. When an owner, family member, or other pet is gone, chewing may become a compulsive behavior due to separation anxiety. If your dog’s chewing is gnawing at your nerves, follow some of the suggestions below to curb the crunching.

1. Whenever possible, keep objects away from your dog that he finds fun to chew, whether it be your freshly washed socks, pieces of string, or ribbon from packages or gifts.

2. Spray bitter apple on objects, such as electrical cords, wires, computer connections, and other sensitive material to prevent your dog from sinking his teeth into them.

3. Rub favorite objects with scented oils that are unappealing to your dog, such as eucalyptus, cinnamon, or citrus. Of course be sure that the scent is something that you enjoy.

4. Spray a cologne that is not your scent onto objects to dissuade the chewer. Doing so will not be a welcoming sign to your dog since it is not “you” that he smells.

5. If your dog is teething, offer him a variety of chew toys and direct his attention to them when you observe him chewing something he shouldn’t. Rawhides are always an excellent choice.

6. Crate or kennel training may be the solution for a dog that chews on objects while his owner is away. Placing your dog in a crate while you are at work may save your home from being chewed up. Place your dog’s belongings, food, and water in the crate so that he will feel secure. Have a friend, neighbor, or pet-sitter walk and play with your pooch midday to give him some exercise.

7. If your dog engages in destructive chewing, especially if the target is a part of his own body, it could be a sign of boredom. Schedule regular play sessions each day so that your dog will anticipate them. Take your dog on regular walks instead of just letting him outside on a chain or in an enclosed yard to find something to do on his own. Make sure he has your complete attention during the play sessions and does not have to share you with the telephone, the television, or other disturbances around the house or around the neighborhood.

Why Your Dog Loves Barking At The Mailman

May 22, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Your dog probably doesn’t have anything personal against the mailman. He’s just taking care of his own. In fact, it is safe to say that every dog has a little watchdog in him. It’s something that dogs inherit from their ancestors, who had to defend their territories and limited food supplies from trespassers.

To a dog, the great thing about mailmen is that they appear to be easy targets. Here’s what happens:

The first time a dog heard this stranger coming up the walk, he got alarmed. He probably backed up a little bit at first, but one brave day, he gave a little bark. His owners came running to see what was causing the commotion. The mailman, of course, dropped off the mail and left. The combination of praise from his owners and the mailman’s retreat makes dogs very happy. They just assume that they scared the mailman off. From then on, they feel confident that they can protect their homes from these fearsome visitors, so they keep barking.

Mailmen, meter readers, United Parcel Service and FedEx couriers, and any other stranger who purposely heads up to the house and then looks as though he’s retreating when he gets barked at is going to get the same reception.

Nearly all dogs have an instinctive urge to protect their homes, but that’s not the only reason they kick up a fuss when the mail arrives. Part of it is merely anticipation. Dogs are attuned to rituals and routines to such an extent that they’d probably be called obsessive-compulsive if they were people. The mail comes every day at more or less the same time. It doesn’t matter whether this event is happily anticipated or thoroughly dreaded.

Dogs probably begin thinking about it when they get up in the morning, and their excitement grows as the time approaches. By the time the mailman finally arrives, they’re keyed up and ready to rumble. It can get to be the high point of their days. Dogs who spend their days alone get particularly excited because they feel as though they’ve been left in charge. If they don’t bark like crazy and warn off intruders, who will? They figure they’re on duty should anyone approach their property.

How To Keep Your Dog’s Feeding Area Mess-Free

May 17, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Unless you are cooking your dog’s meals instead of serving them from a bag, box, or can, after-meal cleanup should not be complicated. But let’s face it, some dogs, like some people, are just sloppy eaters.

Instead of trying to improve your dog’s mealtime manners, try some of these suggestions.

1. To make cleaning your dog’s food bowls easier, coat them with vegetable cooking spray to keep food from sticking on the bottom.

2. An alternative to using cooking spray on your dog’s bowls is to purchase nonstick bowls for him. Nonstick bowls are available in kitchen stores or housewares departments.

3. To keep food from flying onto the floor around your dog’s food dish, place the dish on a tray instead of a place mat.

4. Plastic salad bar containers with lid and bottom still connected can become food and water dishes or a tray on which to place your dog’s regular bowl to keep food and water from spilling.

5. If you are caring for a litter of puppies that have been weaned, competition for food may become intense. Instead of giving each one a separate dish, try feeding them from a muffin tin to keep cleanup chores to a minimum.

More Dog Sounds And What They Mean

March 25, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Soft whimpering: “I hurt!” “I’m scared.” The average person is most likely to hear this at the veterinarian’s office, when the dog is suffering, or when a submissive dog is in a strange place that appears threatening. This is really a carryover of the mewing sound that young puppies make when cold, hungry, or distressed.

Louder, more prolonged whining sound: “Please give me . . .” or “I want …” A dog usually uses this sound when waiting for food, or for the leash to be put on, or when trying to get his owner’s attention, and so forth.

Sighs: This vocalization, which is invariably accompanied by the dog’s lying down with his head on his forepaws, can have two meanings, depending on the context and certain facial expressions. With eyes half-closed, it is a sign of pleasure, meaning “I am content and am going to settle down here.” With eyes fully open, it is a sign of disappointment when something anticipated has not materialized, best interpreted as “I give up!”

Baying: This is the characteristic sound of hounds during a hunt. It is usually interpreted as “Follow me!” “Let us get him!” or “All together now!”

Yip-howl: This is really more of a yip-yip-yip-howl, with the final howl quite prolonged. It usually means “I am lonely” “I feel abandoned!” or “Is anybody there?”

Howling: “I am here!” “This is my territory!” or “I hear you out there!” A confident animal will often howl simply to announce his presence. Howling also often occurs in response to a yip-howl from another dog. It has a more sonorous sound to the human ear than does the yip-howl, which is often described as mournful.

Moaning: This sounds something like “ar-owl-wowl-wowl . . .” over a short interval of time. It is a sound of spontaneous pleasure and excitement that means “I am excited!” or “Let us play!” A dog usually moans when something he really likes is about to happen.

Panting: “Let us go!” This is a sign of excitement.

Dogs can also learn specific vocalizations. For instance, the bark that dogs give to the command speak sounds qualitatively different from a spontaneous bark. The same can be said for the bark that police and protection dogs learn to give. Your dog can even be taught specific sounds for specific settings, ranging from simple barks, moans, or play-growls to more complex sounds that may sound like yodels or attempts at speech.

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