Dog Training Basics

Posts Tagged ‘dog’

It’s easy to spend money on our dogs for items they don’t truly need. After all, a little pampering never hurt. Unfortunately, while millions of owners purchase trinkets and luxuries for their canines, they often fail to invest the same attention into their dogs’ health. That can lead to large veterinarian bills later. Even worse, the thought of an expensive trip to the vet causes many owners to delay necessary treatment for their pooches.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the things you can do to maintain your canine companion’s health. By spending a little time and money upfront, you can avoid costly emergency bills in the future.

Throughly Inspect Your Pet Weekly

Canines deal with plenty of problems, including ear and eye infections, odd discharges, gum disease, and more. Making matters worse, being outside can result in fleas, scratches, and other issues. Take the time to give your dog a self inspection once a week. That includes brushing his teeth, checking his eyes and ears, and even smelling his breath. Otherwise, that small issue can develop into a larger problem extremely fast.

Enroll In Training Classes

Obedience training will result in a more friendly experience with your pets, but could also save you money on otherwise accidental emergency bills. A trained canine is less likely to dart from you into traffic while you’re walking him. Also, training will prevent his snapping or biting a stranger or another pet.

Don’t Neglect Spaying Or Neutering

You should spay or neuter your dog unless you’re planning to professionally breed her or him. Beside the Birth Control options, spaying and neutering has substantial health benefits for your dogs. In female canines, there is a much lower chance of developing breast cancer. And the likelihood of developing cancer in the ovaries or uterus is eliminated. For males, the procedure significantly lowers the likelihood of developing testicular cancer.

Set Aside An Emergency Fund

Sometimes, emergencies are unavoidable. You can provide the best care possible for your dog and still end up worried in the veterinarian’s waiting room. Start saving money so that a large medical emergency bill can be paid off. That way, you’ll have the funds to make sure your pooch receives the treatment he needs.

Too often, owners make the tragic decision of sacrificing their canines’ health because they are unable to afford the required treatment. Avoid that situation entirely by creating an emergency fund for your dog.

One last note: make an appointment with the veterinarian to give your pooch a routine check-up every six months. Even if you’re inspecting his coat, eyes, ears, and teeth once a week at home, problems can escape your notice. Plus, your canine may be coping with an internal issue. The veterinarian can perform an examination that uncovers medical problems before they become serious. Treating them early can prevent emergencies later.

A little preventative care – and a lot of love – can keep your dog healthy and happy while preserving your bank account.

They are a naturally feisty breed.Bred to hunt badgers, they had to be tough and innovative.  But that assertive nature should not be allowed to turn against you.You must be the top dog.

Each dog will deviate in degree, of course.There are submissive ones though fewer than other breeds, on average.Some will try to insist on having their own way at all times like most terriers.But training can modify their behavior, especially if you begin when they are young and stay consistent.

Zero tolerance should be the rule for all aggressive behavior, whether toward you, a family member, or strange people and animals.Gnawing the leash during training is one mild demonstration.

Discourage it by stepping on the leash close to the dog’s head.  Then with the other foot, slowly pull the leash down to the ground closer and closer to the collar.Take care not to stress their neck, as they are prone to spinal problems.When they have let go of the lead, praise them lavishly.

To discourage snapping or biting or excess barking a squirt bottle comes in handy.  When your dog shows this behavior, give him a little squirt against the muzzle.  Avoid the eyes.That surprises your Dachshund and it is unpleasant besides.Avoid making it a contest of wills, but repeat if needed.That only tends to make it seem to the dog that you are a competitor.Being consistently firm is favored to counter-aggression.

If your Dachshund persists, seperate your dog and be prepared for some barking.Like spoiled young children, a dog will at times try to whine or shout its way out of punishment.Offer your dog rugged chew toys and allow him to work out the aggression on those while he’s in the “time out” box.

Be sure to follow this negative reinforcement with some positive reinforcement.Look for instances of good behavior and praise it generously.Use a modest amount of treats if needed.The point is to help the dog see for itself the different aftereffect of its own behavior in terms of your response.They are resourceful.With persistence, they will learn.

For instance, one may become assertive during fetch by refusing to give up the ball.Try to discern between authentic willfulness and a simple desire to play a different game, tug.  Make the difference clear by using a rope for tug, which they love.

It’s key to tread a fine line, though, since tug can lead to encouraging aggression.Exercising them a little harder than you would a more placid or playful dog will help.Aggression is partially caused by the frustration of repressed energy with no positive outlet.

A helper can be a big help here.Toss the ball to a partner several feet away, along the ground.When the Doxie gives chase, make sure the partner is the first to get the ball.Repeat the exercise a few times, then let your Dachshund win.

With patience and a little inventiveness, you can channel your Dachshund’s aggression into more positive directions.

LuvUrDog.com

Housetraining

No training is more basic for pet owners than that first important lesson: Do it outside!

Teaching your pet to potty outside the home, not in it, usually starts between six and eight weeks of age. Dogs as young as four weeks have been started on housebreaking, but at that age few have the muscular control to succeed.

With any dog training program, trainer patience is just as important as the dog’s temperament. ‘Sit’, ‘stay’ and other behaviors can often be learned in a few days. House training typically takes weeks – sometimes as short as two, often a month or more.

As with other learned behaviors, it helps to watch for signs of the desired actions and enforce and direct them with a voice command followed by praise. In this case that technique works even more to the trainer’s advantage, since all dogs will naturally eliminate. The trick is to get your puppy to do it when and where you want!

Watch for circling or squatting, then pick up the pup, say ‘outside’ and dash outside. Sometimes, the puppy may circle some more, but will often squat immediately. When he starts, say ‘Go potty’ ( or some other unique phrase) in a clear, firm (but not angry) voice. Wait until she is finished and then her praise lavishly.

You won’t always be able to catch the puppy about to begin, but don’t become angry or impatient when the dog potties indoors. It takes some time for your puppy to learn to tell you it’s time to ‘go outside’. It also takes time for the muscles needed to control bladder and bowels to develop control.

Young dogs need to go every 2-3 hours, on average. If you haven’t spotted pre-elimination behavior within that time, take the dog outside anyway. Issue the command ‘Go potty’ and wait. At first, usually, the dog will have no clue what you want.

Especially, even when outside, it helps to wait and watch for the desired behavior then issue the command. That helps the dog associate the command with the behavior. If tyour puppy hasn’t gone after a couple of minutes and a few ‘Go potty’ commands, take it back inside for an hour. Of course, if you spot the pre-elimination behavior in less time, go outside again immediately.

Dogs have a surprising ability to quickly learn what their ‘alpha’ (the leader of the pack) wants. This is almost always accomplished by associating a verbal command with behavior, followed by praise. Punishment is usually counter-productive, and nowhere more so than in waste elimination training. Never rub a dog’s nose in waste.

Paper and/or crate training is preferred by some. A pup can be trained to eliminate on a newspaper, or on one of the chemically treated pads designed for the purpose. Some small breeds that live all day in the apartment may not need to go outside at all.

The technique has a couple of downsides however. Unlike cats, dogs will seldom go in a perfumed litter box. Newspapers (even with the top layer removed after the dog goes) will eventually leave an unpleasant odor in the house.

Also, long before the odor becomes unattractive to humans, dogs can smell their own distinctive aroma. Dogs don’t find the scent unattractive – quite the opposite. So that spot continues to be the problem.

Dogs that are paper trained sometimes will prefer to potty indoors. Sometimes they’ll miss the paper by just an inch, resulting in a smelly mess to clean up.

Once the odor is in the carpet, the dog will continue to seek that spot out as its proper ‘place to go’. This makes training the dog to eliminate outside even more difficult. Best to suffer a few accidents than to create a hard-to-overcome habit.

Providing patience, praise and consistency are key factors to any dog training. Elimination training is the first order of business for you and your dog.

Get more tips and advice on housetraining or dog training at Luvurdog.com/dogtraining

Though the media significantly embellished the level of canine aggression, it is still a fact that 2 percent of our communities are victims of dog bites each year and 1 percent of dogs bite humans. If you observed your dog becoming aggressive, there are various quality dog aggression training methods you can bring into play to reduce the aggressive behaviors so that your dog does not become a statistic. On the other hand , one of the best dog aggression training methods is prevention itself.

Although avoidance is vital in minimizing the potential for dog aggression, there are some dog aggression training process that will perfectly to reduce the unwanted behaviors in your dog. Some of these dog aggression training methods involve your dog, but some involve training you and the people that usually intermingle with your dog. Dog aggression is not just a dog problem; it is a people problem, too.

Primarily , before you start with any training methods for eliminating dog aggression, you need to recognize what is causing the aggression in your dog. To determine which dog aggression training method you can use, put into consideration the triggers of your dog’s aggression.

Two most common reasons for dog aggression are fear and dominance, which can be prohibited through training. But still, aggression caused by things like maternal instincts or food requires more of a change in human behavior, by not challenging the situations. If your dog has a medical reason for the aggression, you will perhaps need to see a veterinarian to acquire treatment.

On the other hand, dominance aggression requires a bit of an unusual training approach. Dominance aggression starts when your dog considers you part of his or her pack, and they would like to establish themselves as the “alpha dog.” Respect exercise is practically the best approach. This kind of technique trains your dog to look to you for “permission” before doing anything.

Begin by having your dog know that you have control over everything. So that your dog cannot obtain what he or she wants without your permission, toys, beds, food, walks, even affection should to be within your control. You can establish this by commanding that your dog sit before it gets what it wants. Do not confer when your dog do not follow what you want him or her to do. Use a rattle or clicker to get his or her attention if your dog does not pay attention to you. Refrain from giving your dog praise not unless they do what you want, then praise them considerably . Also avoid games like tug of war, which encourages the desire for dominance.

Just as you are trying to use dog aggression training methods to minimize aggressive behavior based on fear or dominance, you need to realize that during the initial training you will definitely see an increase of aggression or rebellion in your dog. Keep in mind, a dog functions at the same age level as a two or three year old, so it takes a lot more for them to realize what you want them to do, and they do not figure out that the training is really in their best interest. Be patient with your dog during this time and be acquainted that you are being a conscientious and responsible pet owner by using these dog aggression training methods to teach your dog how to live and act appropriately around humans.

Isabel had always loved and wanted a small dog to keep her company. That’s why when she got her first apartment in New Jersey, she made sure the community was dog-friendly. One early morning, she came across a nice family that was giving away some mixed breed puppies, she picked and brought home a little girl pup that was bouncy and full of energy, just like her! It was the best feeling she have ever felt in years.

When Isabel first got Tiny, she enjoyed watching her bounce up and down, and loved it especially when Tiny greeted her at the door when she comes home from work. Yet one day, when Isabel brought over her four-year old niece she become aware that Tiny would not stop running around and jumping on her, causing her niece to fall over and hurt herself. Isabel then thought of all the snagged sweaters and times that the jumping habit got out of hand. She decided then and there that the jumping behavior had to stop!

Isabel began her quest to stop Tiny from this risky behavior by seeking some expert advice. She spoke with trainers and scoured bookstores to find the right technique for training dogs on how to stop dog jumping . So she set her mind to giving Tiny a lot of love, but she also decided that she would have to be firm in her decision and be really committed to keeping up the training in the long term, too.

Isabel started to daunt off Tiny’s jumping behavior by commanding, “Down!” every time she enters the room. She has chosen the word “down” because it was an easy word for everyone to use. Every time she walked in the door, she would firmly say “Down!” until Tiny was no longer jumping and acting over excited to see her. The training got her a little frustrated at first, because Tiny just was not getting the command. Isabel even tried giving Tiny a little nudge to get her to back off while she firmly said, “Down.” Yet after a week, Isabel began to see that it was taking lesser commands to get Tiny to stop jumping and she felt that the hard work was not in vain.

After a few weeks, it was taking no more than two “Down” orders for Tiny to stop jumping. Once Tiny had observed that she would gain praise for not jumping at all, the behavior started to cease completely. After a few months, Isabel felt comfortable bringing her niece again over to her house to play with Tiny, and found that the two of them now got along beautifully. Her niece even feels that Tiny is now her new best friend!

From Isabel’s situation, we can see that it will FOR SURE take time, patience, and consistency to train a dog to stop an unlikely behavior. But, always bear in mind that not all dogs can be taught simply at home. Isabel was prepared to use a trainer for assistance in curbing Tiny’s behavior, but found that her patience paid off in the end. The key was using a consistent command and praising Tiny greatly when she behaved.

We have all done it. Our cute, little furry friend is practically grinning at us from below the kitchen table. Their ears are perked and their tail is wagging. We know what our dog wants. Just a tiny choice morsel from dinner would be delicious, right? What could it hurt? It is just a snack or two after all.

Hold Fido’s ears he will not want to hear this. A dogs diet actually should not contain table scraps. Our food is just that…for people. A dogs nutritional demands are not the same as a humans. For certain, we eat some of the same things, but giving your pet food from the table is one of the biggest mistakes for your pet. A dogs diet does not need all the added goodies we add into our meals.

Individuals have problems with obesity. A dog can have this trouble, as well. If your dogs diet comprises mostly of scraps from the dinner table, chances are high that your dog will have trouble keeping a healthy weight. Even a few pounds over weight can truly make a difference in the quality and length of your pets life. Curb the begging and stick to your guns.

When you have a dog who is not a picky eater, it can be tempting to let your pet be the garbage disposal in your home, but actually, this is not a good idea. Particular people foods can harm your dog and should never be a part of your dogs diet. Grapes, for example, have been known to cause serious problems for dogs, even death. Chicken bones and popcorn can also be a problem for your dog. Permitting large amounts of chocolate can be dangerous in a dogs diet.

When your dogs diet is not the best you can give it, then your pets outputs will be larger in size, smell, and mess. You will see the benefits of choosing a healthy diet for your dog, as you will notice that your pet is healthier and happier.

There are a few occasions when a supplement or treat from the kitchen may be okay, but never in excess. Speak to your veterinary about healthy snacks for your dogs diet. If you simply must continue feeding Fido at the table, many veterinaries recommend you give your pet ice cubes or pieces of carrot to munch on between scheduled feeding times. Providing your pet these healthy options to pizza and cupcakes gives you the freedom to choose a healthy and nutritious snack for your dogs diet.

So, the next time your beloved pet starts eyeing your food, redirect his or her attention. Do not reach for your fatty steak or chicken leg. Instead, toss your buddy a cool, refreshing ice cube to bat around and munch on.  A couple of baby carrots will keep Fido happy and leave you feeling good about your choices for the nutritional value of your dogs diet. You will know that you are doing your best to keep a high quality diet for your pet.

For further Free information on Glucosamine In A Dogs Diet be sure to visit Free Dog Diet Tips….