Dog Training Basics

Posts Tagged ‘dog behaviour’

Dogs can be one of the most sweet animals. No wonder dogs are dubbed as man’s best friends because of the affectionate nature they show to humans. Dog are seen where ever the master goes and because they won’t be separated from their masters they are also known as Velcro animals. Dogs are indeed well loved because humans would commonly hug and kiss dogs. Dogs also form close bond with the family thus the pet would bestow their own brand of kiss…licking the face of the master.

Does your dog lick your face too? Some pet parent would not mind the pet’s licking habit. Some would be irked more so if the pet also has the disgusting habit of drinking from the toilet bowl or the habit of eating feces. Understanding the reasons behind the dog’s licking is necessary whether the owners would want to stop the dog from licking faces or not.

The dog that is licking and washing your face with its saliva is simply showing you its affection. Puppies have learned the licking behavior from the mother dog. The moment the puppies are born, the mother dog would start using its tongue to clean the afterbirth and also to stimulate circulation and help the puppies to breathe. The bond between mother and puppy is strengthened because of maternal licking. A dog considers the owners as its family. Licking the face is therefore done by the pet as a sign of affection and appreciation for the care given by the human family.

A dog’s inclination to lick the master’s face is explained by dog behaviorists as a sign of deference or submission. Dogs are pack oriented. In the wild, dogs would show submission to the dominant dogs. As a sign of submission dogs lower in rank would lick the face of the alpha male. Dogs lick the face of the human family as in the eyes of the dog they are the pack leaders.

Some dog owners would not be mindful of the dog’s licking as the pet is often considered as the baby of the family. However, the licking can be an unsanitary habit given the dog’s habit of raiding the trash and eating feces. It would be very necessary to curb the dog’s face-licking habit if there are children in the family. Dogs and children often falls in love at first sight and because of the affection, the kid would not mind a face-licking pet. The face-licking habit is dangerous if a kid is at the receiving end as the kid can be exposed to the bacteria in the dog’s mouth..

Dog drooling, slobbering or hyper-salivating is not unusual in dogs. The tendency to drool is one of the reasons why some dog breeds are not chosen by potential pet owners. Ewww! That would be the common expression of a dog owner whose face was licked by the slobbering pet. Bloodhounds, Boxers, Mastiffs and other breeds known to slobber are not for everyone especially for people that hate the sticky dog drool that can cling on the clothes, on the furniture, on walls and practically in all places.

All dogs drool given that all would produce saliva but dog breeds with loose skin on the mouth can drool excessively. Because dogs are known to be food motivated, the sight of food can make the pet salivate. A highly excited or a stressed dog can salivate excessively. Owners need not be too concerned as these reasons for salivating would not really do the dog harm. To prevent the pet from scattering its slobber, the owner has best keep towels handy to wipe the dog’s mouth.

There is a cause for concern if the non-slobbering dog is suddenly drooling excessively especially if it is manifesting an abnormal behavior as well. Drooling is normal in dogs but there are cases when the drooling pet would need urgent medical attention as the cause of excessive salivation is life threatening. Drooling associated with a medical concern would also make the dog show other signs such as shaking of the head and pawing at the mouth. Panting, breathing difficulties and bad breath that is shown by an excessively salivating pet should not be ignored as it can be signs of a life threatening concern.

A dog that travels by car can drool because of motion sickness. Abnormal drooling can be due to a foreign object in the dog’s mouth. Dogs have the inclination to chew thus a sliver of wood, a thorn or a bone can get stuck inside the mouth and make the dog salivate. Ingestion of a poisonous substance will make the dog salivate as well. Excessive drooling can be due to a dental disease. Excessive salivation can be due to a tumor in the dog’s mouth. Rabies is a most serious cause of excessive drooling.

Hypersalivation noticed in non-drooling dogs should not be ignored. Treatment for this concern would depend on the cause. The dog that is hyper salivating may have ingested a poisonous substance. This concern will make a dog vomit and have breathing difficulties. Poisoning is one of the serious causes of drooling and it certainly needs immediate medial attention.

The Seriousness of Obedience Training For Dogs

Any dog makes a cute pet; but trained dogs make great and beneficial companions too. Even tough affording a pet dog means a life long commitment both vis money and energy, being the owner of a well-trained dog is a matter of pride and is worth all your investment.

The High Importance of Dog Training

The inborn marks of any dog – gnawing, running, barking or jumping, become quite an ordeal when they create trouble or nuisance especially when you have friends at home, or you go visiting someone with your dog pal. Canine obedience training teaches the dog to adapt with ease to its human surroundings and to realize that his master is the figure of authority.

A proper training would make your dog much liked by all and quite a pleasure for you.

Specialized Trainings

The typical coaching class is the obedience training which disciplines the dog to obey to his master’s commands of: sit, stay, down, come, close and up. A dog that knows the”close” command can walk next to its owner on a loose leash. One can ask the importance of this command from any of the dog-walkers we see who get dragged or pulled by the over energized dog! The”up” command makes a dog majestically stand up on its hind legs instead of jump. It is quite a wonder to watch a hungry dog stand up for a nibble instead of jump crazily for it.

The other coaching classes include all those that teach a dog to perform special obligations as in law enforcement, army services, rescue operations, animal herding, hunting, help of those with physical or mental impairements and of course entertainment.

The Various Methods of Training Classes

Reward a job well-done

This is the hottest system in a dog’s obedience coaching classes. Each’good’ action is braced by getting rewarded. The rewards are anything the dog enjoys”food, game, petting etc. Every single dog has his own preferences, so try to determine what your dog can look forward to and propose it everytime he exhibits the right behavior.

Correct an unwelcome feature

While correcting the unwelcome behavior, trainers choose 2 very basic tactics: The first one is the physical correction, where the dog is put on leash closely following the”bad” behaviour. This makes the dog notice that his liberty would be curtailed if he repeats the behaviour. The second one is the mental correction, where an anticipated reward, like a chewy or a swim, is withdrawn. So, corrections essentially become a form of punishing the dog for the’bad’ behaviour displayed. A firm tone and hand gestures must be used to condone the incorrect attitude while calling the dog name.

Forget the undesired

This is an extremely important technique and works best when used along with’rewarding the required attitude’. If you notice your dog doing something faulty but not dangerous, it works very well to disregard it. These behaviors will eventually go away with time as your dog realizes that such a attitude gets him no attention.

Ultimately, the key’s to keep the sessions short and the behaviours repeated. It is not advisable to use many coaching methods as they have an inclination to confuse your pet.

An early relationship strain will be caused by your dog's propensity to chew

Dogs carry out destructive chewing for three main reasons, they are simply bored, they find it pleasurable to do so, or they find it helps get them through emotional times. The nearest human equivalent for which might be to consume a bar of chocolate!

Anything that gets in the way of this chewing normally ends up in poor state. If you think about it there are lots of sharp, pointed teeth in your dog's mouth and they generally get the better of anything put in their way.

Chewing is most annoying when it is your own possessions that are the subject, always stop this behavior straight away.

How To Avoid Your Possessions Being Destroyed

The first tip for dog behavior training is to not place valuable objects in the way of temptation. Just as you would ensure your house is baby proof you need to think about putting things away that you would rather your dog not find. Why let providence intervene.

In addition, when hiding things be aware of just how agile your dog is. How high can she reach when standing on her back legs for example?

Consider that common targets in the home include books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, and small appliances like cameras, cell phones, and remote controls.

Make sure whatever you do that you put food away in airtight containers or high cupboards. Loose food needs to be put away safely from the nose and paws of your pet, high cupboards and strong containers are called for here.

The phrase prevention is better than cure applies to dog behaviour training too, if your dog is not given the opportunity to discover the delights of chewing a forbidden item then it is a lot easier for her to learn your house rules.

Do not allow you dog to see any weakness on your part by letting old habits resurface. Once she has the taste do not be surprised to find shoes you care about being treated to the same destructive chewing.

A good idea is to buy some toys that you do want your dog to play with. Take a look around your local pet store for tough items such as rubber bones and balls etc. Buy a few and rotate their use as a way to keep your dog behaviour training interesting.

Some final advice on dog behaviour, when you catch your dog chewing something inappropriate be sure to interrupt her immediately and provide a suitable alternative and give lavish praise when this is accepted as a way of reinforcing good behaviour.