Dog Training Basics

Posts Tagged ‘Canines’

Halloween’s coming by and as your pet dog is also a part of your family, why not dress him up too for this special occasion? However, many dogs are not comfortable with dog in clothes so it would be better to go for part costumes such as have him wear hats or bandannas. You can either make a full costume or just the headpiece of the costume as your pet might not be too keen in wearing the complete costume. A list of easy DIY dog costumes has been given below along with the instructions so that you can make your canine friend feel special on the upcoming Halloween.

First of all is the Hot Dog costume. The very first of all costumes for dogs in our list is the ‘hot dog’ costume. Hot Dog costume is the first of all make it yourself dog costumes that we are going to talk about in this article. For this Halloween costume for your dog, you need to have lightweight foam of tan color, mustard color or red felt for making the ketchup and a body harness for strapping the costume on your dog. The first step requires you to cut out buns from the foam.

Measure the length of your dog and make sure that the bun is cut accordingly. Glue the foam buns to both the sides of the dog harness after rounding of the sides of the foam bun. The harness would make it stay in place.

For making a bumble bee dog costume, you will need yellow fabric, black felt, two pom poms or Styrofoam balls, glue and pipe cleaners. First of all, cut the yellow fabric in such a way that it can be tied on the neck of your dog and can be used as cape. Measure your dog and cut the yellow fabric to make a cape for your dog. Other than that, you can use a yellow colored t-shirt for your dog.

Cut thin black stripes for making the bee stripes and then attach it to the yellow cape or t-shirt with glue. Create a cap for your dog by gluing the rest of the black felt according to the measurement of your canine friend’s head. Glue the pom poms or the Styrofoam balls to one end of the pipe cleaner and then again glue the other end of the pipe cleaner to the felt cap to create the antennas.

Now for your female pet, here is an idea on making the perfect princess dog costume. This is quite easy as you will just need a head piece for your pet in order to make this costume work. The materials required for preparing this costume are- construction paper as needed, elastic band, silk, georgette or any kind of shimmery fabric, scissors and glues.

The first step is to measure the size of your dog’s head and make a cone out of the construction paper according to that. If you are in short of fabric, you can keep the cone as it is or you can wrap the cone with the fabric of your choice Then cut and then glue the fabric to the cone so that it would flow like a train.

Now add the elastic band by either gluing or stapling it to the cone so that it can go under the chin of your dog and keep it snugly fit. Voila! The Princess Dog Costume is completed.

Here are some ideas on easier Halloween dog costumes. You can try the cowboy costume for your dog by just tying a bandana on his neck and by adding a light and comfortable cowboy hat on his head. Adding a toy gun holster would make him more western like. You can also place a baby bonnet on your dog’s head and dress him in any kind of baby dress and create baby dog costumes for Halloween.

Understanding Your Dog’s Behavioral Problems

Dogs exhibit many behaviors that leave their owners scratching their heads in confusion. Whether it’s barking, digging, nipping, or a number of other annoying activities, canines do things that seem odd to us. However, by understanding why they do such things, owners can learn to modify such behaviors.

Below, we’ll discuss several behavioral problems that can frustrate owners, their guests, and their neighbors. Here we will explain some of the factors that lead to your dogs behavior issues and steps to correct them.

Chewing

Dogs chew for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they’re anxious. Other times – especially in the case of puppies – they chew because they’re teething. Still other times, they simply become bored or restless. They do it to work off excess energy.

If your canine limits her chewing to a chew toy, or Bully Sticks there’s little harm in it. When no chew toys are around, your house belongings are at risk for damage from a chewing dog. When you physically see your dog chewing on inappropriate objects, may sure you inform them. Take away (or remove her from) the item on which she’s chewing and give her a Odorless Bully Stick in its place.

Excessive Barking

First, it’s important to realize that your dog barks as a way of communicating. While it can become frustrating if she does so excessively, owners should understand that there may be a valid reason for the behavior.

That said, canines often bark excessively for a number of reasons that are inappropriate. For example, they may be bored or excited. The barking could be caused by other pets near by. At times it’s just an attention grabbing issue.

To discourage inappropriate barking, make sure your pooch gets exercise each day. When bored your dog’s behavior issues can increase because of pent up energy. Also, avoid encouraging her barking by giving her attention when she does it. Instead, a loud clap will let your dog know they are doing something wrong.

Begging

Dogs love food, even if they’re not hungry. Given the opportunity, they’ll continue eating as long as someone gives them something to eat. The problem is that owners encourage begging each time they provide a taste from the dinner table. Remember, your pooch learns by repetition. When it comes to food, she learns quickly. If she receives something when she begs, she’ll naturally (and quickly) begin to believe that begging is appropriate.

You can discourage the begging behavior by removing the dog during meals.

The Value Of Obedience Classes

Most behavioral issues can be curbed by enrolling your dog into obedience classes. If you do so when she’s a puppy, the training is more likely to “stick.” If you enroll her as an adult, the training will be effective, but she’ll probably need periodic classes as a reminder of what constitutes appropriate conduct. In the end, a well-trained, well-behaved dog makes a more pleasant companion.