Dog Owners Archives - Page 9 of 10

Is A Professional Dog Obedience Training Necessary?

May 28, 2010 by admin 1 Comment

Obedience training for your dog is an important part of responsible pet ownership.

While common puppy behavior problems and housebreaking are discussed in many books and publications, here we’ll discuss your options for basic obedience training and whether you want train your dog yourself or hire a trainer.

Training can begin as early as three to four months if yon train the dog yourself. Most trainers believe puppies aren’t mentally or socially developed enough to benefit from group obedience class until they are six months old.

Any sincerely interested dog owner can train his or her own dog, provided your dog hasn’t already acquired a lot of bad habits.
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Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

Learn simple techniques for getting any dog to stop barking at strangers or from begging you to let him back inside – Plus a TON more step-by-step dog obedience strategies THOUSANDS of regular people are already using,
check out –
The Hands Off Dog Training Method

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You and your dog may want to attend a couple of lessons at a good training club. You may also want to arm yourself with a good dog training book.

Wait until your dog is six months old before taking him to a group obedience class, which is a popular option for many dog owners. Obedience groups not only provide an excellent
source of training, but also helps socialize your pet with other dogs.

When you first visit an obedience training class, make sure the instructors treat their pupils kindly – no punishment or yelling should be taking place or be permitted by those in charge. Your local parks department or school district may sponsor an obedience group.

If you’re having trouble finding one, ask your veterinarian.

Professional training is a good option for some larger breeds or for dogs that have acquired bad habits. If you are looking for a professional obedience trainer, find one who favors working with your dog in your own home.

No matter how appealing it may seem to send a problem dog away to be trained, the reality is that this often is a waste of time and money.

The dog may behave perfectly with the trainer and then ignore you once it arrives home. A professional obedience trainer will
equip you with the knowledge and confidence you need to train your dog.

The best way to find a good professional trainer is through a veterinarian or breeder’s recommendation.

Also, if you have any family or friends that can refer you to a reputable trainer then this would be the most ideal option. Arrange for an exploratory meeting with the potential trainer, you, and your dog.

Then, make your decision.

Training takes time and patience and a capable trainer will stress this fact. Length of training depends not only on your dog’s intelligence, temperament, and age, but also on how many bad habits he has acquired.

Obedience training requires you to take the lead, both as teacher and enforcer. After your dog has been trained you must not let him drift back into bad behavior patterns.

When It Comes To Dog Training, There Is No Such Thing As A Perfect Dog

May 18, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

As any reputable trainer or dog training book will tell you, canine learning is based largely on repetition. When a behavior is repeated enough times, dogs develop habits, or conditioned responses. Assuming that those habits are positive ones such as eliminating outside, coming when called, lying down and staying when told, and others – you will have what you want: a trained dog. That’s because dogs are creatures of habit. Once you set up a routine of various signals and conditioned responses (sit, down, stay), the dog will do exactly what you tell him every time. Right? No exactly…

No conditioned response is infallible. Creatures with advanced brains can think. They can defy conditioning. They also can make mistakes. Think about two of your own conditioned responses. You have a habit of answering the telephone when it rings, but one day you decide not to take any calls. The telephone rings but you keep reading your book. You know what you usually do, but today you decide not to do it. You also have a habit of stopping your car at a red light. But one day you are tired or distracted and you roll through an intersection. Even the most experienced drivers sometimes make mistakes.

Similarity, there will be times when even the best-trained dog will either defy conditioning or make a mistake. Therefore you must avoid becoming complacent or overconfident about learned behavior. Do not rely on conditioned responses in potentially dangerous situations. For example, you should never unleash even the best-trained dog near a busy road. One mistake could result in injury or death to my dog.

Owners need to reinforce their dog’s conditioned responses. Certainly the more practice and proofing you do with a dog, the more reliable his response will be. Skilled human beings, from tennis pros to typists, need practice to stay in top form. This is because all learned skills need reinforcement.

When you feel you have achieved a well-trained dog, continue to practice obedience exercises once in a while. It can be fun for both you and the dog. Plus it reinforces the good behaviors you worked so hard to achieve. When you need to call on those skills in real situations, such as doing a stand-stay at the veterinarian’s office, you will be more confident that your dog will comply. Your dog will be more confident by doing something that is familiar – and for which he can earn your praise.

Housetraining Schedule: How To Housetrain Your Puppy In 7 Days Or Less

May 7, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

It is quite alright if you are a new puppy owner and feel clueless about how to initiate housetraining for your dog. Many new dog owners make the mistake of scolding and punishing their dogs when they make a mess.

I made this same mistake with my first Chihuahua. Every time she would go potty inside the house I would take her over to the messy area and scold the dog with a loud voice with the occasional tap to her rear.

Soon enough, I noticed something strange happening. My puppy was still refusing to use the bathroom where she was supposed to go, but she started pooping and urinating underneath the bed and in closet areas. I caused my puppy to be afraid of going to the bathroom!

She did not understand why I was angry all of the times before and all her little brain knew was that every time she used the bathroom, I would yell at her. I realized that she started to be fearful of going potty and was basically trying to hide it by going in places that I could not see in plain view.

The Positive Approach Always Works Best

The moral of the story here is that you must take a positive approach to housetraining and totally eliminate any negative scoldings or punishments. The best thing to do is to supply your dog with a schedule each and every day. This schedule must be adhered to without fail in order to produce the quickest results possible. Here is a sample schedule:

6:30 AM: Immediately upon waking, remove your puppy from his crate, leash him up, and take him to his potty area, wherever that may be. Allow him to focus by staying quiet as he sniffs and circles the area.

When he starts to eliminate his wastes, offer praise and start repetitively giving a potty command such as “Go Pee, Go Pee”. As soon as he is done, offer more praise and a treat if you like. Now take your puppy back to his crate.

7:30 AM: Exactly one hour later, give your dog breakfast and then take him outside to the potty area approximately 20 to 30 minutes later. Immediately return him back to his crate until the next potty break.

10:30 AM: It’s time for another potty break.

12:30 AM (Noon): Take your puppy outside to his potty area and follow the same routine. Afterwards, come inside and feed the dog lunch and then some playtime.

3:30 PM: It’s time for another potty break.

5:30 PM: Take your puppy outside for another potty break and then back inside for some dinner. You do not have place him back in the crate until the next bathroom break.

During this time at night, try to play with your puppy as much as you can. This is a good time to tire him out a bit for his nighttime sleep. But keep a close eye on his behavior in case he starts to sniff and circle an area in the house before using the bathroom. If you cannot keep a close eye on him, simply put him back in his crate.

9:00 PM: If your puppy is sleeping at this time, wake him up for one last bathroom break. Follow the same potty routine and then put him back in his crate until the next morning potty break. Start the entire routine all over again.

To All Dog Owners: Are You Guilty Of Anthropomorphism?

May 1, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

For years Hollywood has portrayed motion-picture canines as animals whose motivations are based on human perceptions and values. Lassie saves a rabbit from death, for example, or Benji solves a crime, or Rin Tin Tin protects the fort from outlaws. These animal films are very entertaining, and the canine actors are extremely well trained, but they tend to give the viewer a distorted, unrealistic picture of a dog’s ability to think and reason.

This misrepresentation of canine behavior is the do wnfall of many dog owners and their unfortunate pets. A person who has never taken a dog training course or read a good training manual containing information on canine behavior very often expects from his or her dog things that canines are unable to do. Such a person may teach even those behaviors that the dog is capable of carrying out in a confusing and haphazard manner. Many poor dogs are then unjustly labeled, spiteful, stupid, stubborn, and sometimes just plain bad. The proper label is ignorant, and it belongs to the owner, not the dog. Whenever you try to evaluate canine behaviors through a human point of view, you will misinterpret them.

All but the very worst anthropomorphic dog owners can be helped if they make a valid effort to understand their dogs. It is not a crime to be anthropomorphic, but it should be a crime if you own a dog and make no effort to understand him. Some aspects of anthropomorphism are harmless to the dog – and can even be enjoyable. For example, giving your dog a special dinner on his birthday or filling a Christmas stocking with dog toys and treats is not detrimental; What dog owners should learn about anthropomorphism should directly concern the dog’s training, especially when it comes to good timing and fair corrections. For example, owners often correct their dog based on a “guilty look” on the dog’s face, assuming he “knows” he was wrong. The dog doesn’t know, any more than he knows it is his birthday or Christmas.

Here is another good example of anthropomorphism. Many dog owners – especially owners of younger dogs – experience a chewing problem at some point. Many calls come in on a regular basis from frustrated owners who say that their dogs chew furniture, rugs, shoes, and the like when left alone in the house. They say that they have tried everything. “He knows he has done wrong,” they say. When asked what they have done to correct the dog, they say, “I holler at him and show him what he chewed. I tell him he is bad, and I smack him with the newspaper.”

This procedure is usually repeated many times while the dog continues to destroy the house. Eventually the time arrives when the owner comes home and the dog runs and hides. Some dogs may even stand and shiver with a terribly “guilty look” on their face. Then, periodically, the owner will come home and not find a mess. The owner will be happy and will praise and pet the dog. The dog will respond to the happy sound and good-feeling rubs with a wagging tail and a happy appearance.

This cheerful behavior, unfortunately, reinforces in the owner’s mind that the dog knows that avoiding chewing is “right” and that chewing up the house is “wrong.” “He’s just a bad dog,” the owner thinks or “He’s really spiteful. He wants to get even with me for leaving him home.” These statements are all based strictly on human emotions and a human perspective. Owners such as these are being anthropocentric. They view everything in terms of human experience and human values.

Dog Care And Its Components

April 28, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Dogs are man’s best friend. Like children, dogs are to be taken cared for just like people are. It takes a lot of responsibility to take care of your pooch.

The proper dog care must be applied to your pet so he or she remains to be healthy and free of any diseases. Dogs are loyal to their human counterpart.

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Training Tips To Get Your Dog To Obey!

If you’d love to discover EXACTLY how to get your dog to stop urinating on your carpet and actually ring a bell when he needs to potty. . .

Train puppies to NEVER chew on furniture or expensive rugs – even when you aren’t there to supervise. . .

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In return, we must provide them with the appropriate dog care essentials.

We should provide them healthy food, water, exercise and veterinary care like vaccinations.

Reading books for the best dog care information and health tips are useful for dog owners who need more education in maintaining a pet. While dogs offer unconditional love to their owners, the owners themselves must show their dogs how much they care for them.

Day To Day Dog Care Needs

The basic everyday need of a dog is obviously food. As an owner, one must feed the dog regularly with healthy food that is excessive in protein.

Grooming is another part of proper dog care. Bathing your dog regularly relieves them of fleas and ticks.

“Big and small dogs need exercise daily, big dogs more than smaller ones”

You can bathe them at least once a week for them not to have that foul smell. Grooming your dog gives you the bonding between owner and pet; and this can also emphasize your authority towards him.

Brushing the dog’s fur is relaxing in their part, they enjoy the strokes of the brush on their hair as you do it slowly.

Dogs should have vitamins too. Vitamin E can cure skin ailments. You can apply vitamin E oil to their skin to cure dry skin and any other skin ailments.

You can save some money if you try conventional and natural ways in giving the right dog care for your pets. Acidophilus in yogurt is not only good for humans but for dogs as well.

Consult with the veterinarian first if you plan on doing this because there are some factors that can harm them.

The Dog Care Supplies

Dog care provisions are classified as functional, basic and pampering. The fundamental dog supplies comprise of dog leashes, grooming kits, sleeping pads, dog house and most especially, food.

“It is not only people who will benefit from natural care but also our dogs. Natural pet care is now a growing trend that shows pet owners how to take care of their dogs in a way that is not harmful”

The practical but functional dog materials consist of doors, fences, and gates. The pampering kit is usually composed of toys, massage oils and treats for your dogs.

One of the most ascendant basic supplies provided is dog beds. It helps keep the dog’s bones healthy and strong.

Several pet shops have supplies such as training equipment and aid to make practices much easier for your dog to follow. Some may even include dog collars which are made to punish dogs for inappropriate behavior.

Kennels are also sold in the supplies too; and they come in different shapes, sizes and colors. Choosing a good one would mean picking out something that ‘ s spacious enough for your dogs to easily move about.

For better dog care, grooming kits are available in a variety of options too. The products include shampoos, nail clippers, brush, combs, and even conditioners.

Hygiene supplies are also made available for the best dog care that you can render.

Are you seeing the same recycled information on every website you visit? Try http://www.dogcaretruths.com for fresh information!

Article Source: ArticleSpan

Stop Barking Electronic Dog Training Collar

April 17, 2010 by admin

If you have a dog which barks constantly you owe it to yourself to get an electronic collar to stop excessive barking. The peace of mind you will have by stopping your dog from barking into all hours of the night at anything that moves. Sure it is great to have a good watch dog to let you know if someone is intruding on your property. But when your dog barks at every single sound and sometime at nothing at all. It seems that the dog likes to hear itself bark. Get yourself an electronic dog collar for such a purpose.

The collar is not meant to be a punishing tool but a training device instead. Most are designed not to send a shock when other dogs barking or send a signal when he barks once or twice, just for the annoying excessive barking. When using the basic training manual that comes with the collar, you will have your dog trained safely in no time at all.

Your neighbor’s will love their once again peace and quiet they once enjoyed before you found your new pet. They will probably learn to like you once again. Lets face it, a dog who loves to bark can quickly get on your nerves. Well I am here to tell you it gets on other people nerves many times worst. It is annoying and the owner should do their best to train their dog to stop. If you have tried conventional methods and they have not worked, an electronic dog training collar for this purpose can certainly be your answer.

Some dog owners can sleep through a war zone and have no idea that the constant barking of their dog is bothering other people in their neighborhood. In my opinion these people are brain dead. There is nothing more irritating than the constant barking of a dog. It will even send the calmest of people to the loony bin after a while.

The people who make these stop barking electronic dog training collars are not fly by night companies. These companies have been in this business for a long time and they know what works. If you purchase one of these dog collars you will soon see what I am talking about. Modifications have been made over the years through testing and customer support to bring the models they have on the market today.

You should never keep the collar on the dog at all times. Especially when it is unsupervised. After all, it is a training device and needs a trainer to make sure that it is working the way it was meant to. Your dog will learn to stop its excessive barking and the collar will no longer be needed. This will please everyone concerned.

I would always try conventional methods first, but when you are at the end of your rope and the only thing your dog does when you tell it to stop barking is answer you with a flurry of barks, it is time to try the stop barking electronic dog training collar. Conventional methods can work well if you have proper training or are instructed how to make it work.

They are preferred by most people because of the idea of giving a dog an electric shock to get it to stop doing a bad habit. I myself prefer conventional methods but they sometimes will not work. Do not be afraid to use the stop barking electronic dog training collar. The shock is tested by experts and is found to be quite safe.

Whether you wish to try conventional methods to get your dog to stop excessive barking or you wish to try the electronic collar, you will find both at this link. Stop Dog Barking Electronic dog training Collar

Article Source: ArticleSpan

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