Doggy Mentor

Archive for December, 2008

train your puppy

When training your dog, concentrate on the end result you’re after, rather than what you don’t want. So as you start each exercise with your dog, imagine the end result and create a clear image of what you’re planning to create, and hold that image through the session. Don’t waste any time pondering over the negative behavior you’re trying to avoid.

Without knowing where you’re going, it’s unlikely you’ll ever get there. This is the case with everything you do in life, particularly when it comes to basic dog house training as well

It’s a natural emotion to concentrate on the things we don’t want in our lives. This is particularly relevant with regards to training dogs as well. We don’t want our dog to pee in the house, and absolutely not to chew the furniture, or disobey our commands, or howl like a wolf when our sweet old aunt comes to visit.

But consider this for a second. Suppose you’re about to adopt a puppy. Are you actually considering spending the next eight to fourteen years reprimanding your dog for things you didn’t want him to do? Isn’t it easier and more satisfying to teach your dog correct behavior from the beginning?

A prime example springs to mind is when we think, “I don’t want my dog to chew the corners of my carpet,” try, “I will encourage him to play with his toys.” Instead of, “I don’t want my dog to jump up on my guests,” change it to, “It would be nice for the dog to sit nicely and welcome visitors.”

By concentrating on what it is you want to achieve, it’ll be much easier to attain your desired training goals. I can’t think of a better way to get started with training your new dog.

Use Rewards

A crucially important area that people have finally realized in puppy house training in the past few years is the trend away from concentrating on correcting bad behavior, or penalizing mistakes, to rewarding obedience and favorable actions.

Using rewards is a whole lot smarter for most trainers – especially for potty train puppies. Perhaps the most important reason is that whenever you scald you dog for making a mistake, the effects could be very demoralizing for both of you. Punishment can make a dog feel threatened when she could become frightened or even aggressive in response to the punishment. Some dogs, especially timid breeds, may close off completely. They seem to lose their sense of adventure. Some may even appear completely broken spirited.

You also get a better sense of accomplishment and enlightenment when using reward training techniques. It’s a great feeling to be the bearer of rewards and praise for a well behaved pet.

But regardless of how good it makes you feel, rewards based training actually works. Primarily because rewards training techniques build strong relationships which are key to good behavior. When he learns that a particular behavior gets rewarded, your pet will want to repeat he behavior as often as possible. By practicing with your dog the best way to use this technique, this technique will have your dog behaving like the perfect gentleman (or lady).

For those of you thinking about keeping a pet dog, it would be a good idea for you to consider having a Labrador Retriever dog for a pet. The popularity of this type of dog is increasing and there are a lot good reasons for this including this breed’s very likeable nature. Besides their very likeable nature, the Labrador Retriever dog is also very well adjusted to being around children, who in any case would love this particular breed, especially as they are extremely gentle towards them.

Very Trainable

Another great quality of the Labrador Retriever dog is their ability to train well, they will readily learn the basic rules of the home, and additionally, they are able to learn a a number of tricks as well. Undoubtedly the Labrador Retriever dog learns very fast, and they are also a very obedient animal that will always serve their master faithfully. With such wonderful qualities, the Labrador Retriever dog is a a wonderful dog – with children and adults alike.

As the proud owner of a Labrador Retriever dog you will, no doubt,undoubtedly, need to assume a lot of responsibility regarding the upkeep and welfare of your pet. In fact, having a Labrador Retriever dog at home also provides you a great occasion to instill a sense of responsibility in your children who must be educated on how to properly own as well as care for their pet.

You must make sure that your Labrador Retriever dog is given plenty of exercise as they have a lot of energy and thus will need to burn their energy in a productive way. You should also give them a lot of space to run about as well as be taken for walks regularly. Moreover, the Labrador Retriever dog demands and should be given a great deal of attention and you must do your best, as their owner, to give them love and make them feel like they are your friend and not just an acquisition to the home.

For their part, the Labrador Retriever dog will desire companionship from people, and so it’s never recommended to leave them on their own. If you are going on vacation, be sure to leave them with someone reliable who will give them the attention and care they need. Concerning a Labrador rescue dog, you need to be even more vigilant about how you keep them and you need to be sure that they are given a lot of love and care, and they need to be made to feel wanted too.

All in all, bringing home a Labrador Retriever dog will without a doubt be a boon for you and your family who will soon fall in love with this lovable, intelligent and amazing pet dog.

Dogs come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing they all have in common is the love of digging. From burying bones to making cool dens for shelter, dogs in yards will inevitably turn to this favorite past time.

This natural behavior can wreak havoc on your yard and garden if it goes unchecked. What is the best way to curb the digging impulse?

Why does your dog dig? Does he just like the action and feeling or is there another reason lurking underneath? Figuring out why your dog is engaging in this undesirable behavior is the first step in correcting it.

However, there may be other reasons including lack of attention or stimulation, storing food, or he’s building a den to cool off or stay warm. Alternately, he may be attracted to freshly turned earth or the scent of fertilizer.

If you have determined that your dog needs more stimulation and is digging as a way of getting attention, you can attack the problem by offering him more opportunities for exercise and interaction. Dog training collars can be a good technique for solving the problem.

If this doesn’t help, you can give one of the following techniques a try:

1. Bury inflated balloons in places where your dog likes to dig. One popped balloon can be a great deterrent.

2. Fill some of the holes your dog has made with his own feces. When he revisits the holes, he will be disgusted by this. It is enough to deter him from digging.

3. Chicken wire is another thing you can bury in your yard to deter your dog from digging. He’ll hate the feeling of his claws against the wire and will be prompted to stop.

4. If you catch your pet in the act of digging, spray him with a water bottle or hose. Dogs hate this (but it is not harmful). They’ll get the message. Do not, however, spray him if you don’t catch him actively engaging in digging. If you do, he won’t understand why he’s being punished.

Digging doesn’t have to be a part of your dog’s normal routine. With a little work and training, you can get past this behavior and have a hole-free yard. Just like with puppy training, mischievous habits can be corrected.

Clicker Training – A Great Training Technique

As people look for gentle ways to discipline and train their dogs, the use of clickers has become more prominent. Your dog will learn to repeat behavior that is desirable in a safe, humane way.

Clicker training works on the principle of operant conditioning. This is when a behavior is repeated because a reward is associated with it. Here is some more on how clicker training works:

You hold a small plastic box in your hand. It has a metal strip which produces a clicking sound when pressed.

Ask your dog to perform a command, such as sit, stay, heel, etc. When he does, click right away and give your dog a treat. You are pairing the clicking sound with the treat.

The dog learns to associate the click with the behavior and the click with the treat, which makes it more likely that he’ll repeat it. Soon, just the click will be enough, and eventually, it can be phased out altogether.

Clicking is immediate. Dogs need to know exactly what they are being praised for, and the clicking sound helps let them know. This is why the clicker method is so effective for training.

Trying the clicker method can lead to more effective, quicker training. It works with your dog’s natural urge to please you and earn a reward.

Be knowledgeable about your pet’s behaviour issues and needs, learn more about dog obedience training tips.

Puppy Training

You are walking down the street and the next thing you know, your normally loving dog becomes aggressive towards other dogs and people he sees. It’s enough to make you want to keep him inside all the time!

Exercise is essential for all dogs, and there are ways you can correct your dog’s behavior so you can both get out and enjoy the fresh air. Walks don’t need to be dreaded, just handled in a careful and consistent manner.

Dogs are like children in many ways. Often you can avoid bad behavior if you redirect their attention. If you see something that usually causes your dog to become aggressive, immediately distract him. Tell him to sit or lie down to keep him busy until the dog or person passes.

If you are about to pass another dog, don’t tense up or pull the least taut. Your pet will be able to tell and he will think that you are scared, so aggression is much more likely. Animals pick up on our signals – just remain calm and relaxed.

Some dogs may require a gentle leader harness or muzzle. These should only be used temporarily until your dog learns not to lunge. If you have a dog who is a danger, they can keep others safe. This is the first priority.

Some dogs will persist at lunging despite your best efforts. If this is the case with your dog, consult with a professional trainer. You don’t want to let the behavior go unchecked; your dog will become a danger to your neighborhood. as well as to himself.

Leash aggression isn’t uncommon, but it is a potentially big problem. Start taking measures to cure your dog of this bad habit before bigger fixes are needed.

The stay command is one of the most useful for your dog. While indicative of a well-trained dog, the stay command can also keep your dog safe in different settings. To help facilitate teaching this command, use treats and praise liberally. Ddog training collars can help you gain even better control over your dog.

If your dog knows the sit or lie commands, he can learn to stay. Begin by commanding him to sit. Then, extend your hand with your palm facing your dog. Using a calm voice, tell him to “Stay.”

As soon as your dog obeys, say, “Good.” Even if the dog only stays for a brief second, it is a great start. Praising can only help him learn more.

As he progressses, teach him when it is time to move. Many people say “Come” or “Ok” to release their dogs. Again, make sure to praise him and give him a reward – this makes the training operation much easier and quicker.puppy potty training works especially well when accompanied by kudos and treats.

As you work with your dog, you can lengthen the time your dog stays. Demand a little more each time before you give him his treat.

Optimal training should last about five to ten minutes at a time. Any more than that will strain your dog’s attention span and counteract your efforts.

Another way that dogs are like children is that they have short attention spans! If you require him to train for longer than ten minutes, he is likely to become obstinate and disobedient. Also keep in mind that he’ll have to have a lot of practice in order to perfect the command. Repeat “Stay” several times and be prepared to reteach him the command a few times.

As you continue training, your dog will be able to stay longer, even when you are not in the room. You will not always have to provide a treat, but do always praise your dog and his accomplishments.

Carry on learning about puppy training tips.

It has long been known that some crossbreeds seem to do better than their parents of either breed. The trick is finding the best breeds to cross. Lots of these crossbreeds end up becoming considered pure breeds themselves. One of the best crossbreeds in dogs is seen in the Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy, known also as Golden Labrador Retrievers. As puppies they begin to show the best traits of their parents breeds.

The Best Dog?

Both Labrador and Golden Retrievers are dogs that really love people and are looking to please. Note that not every one is alike, and poor training will always make for a bad, fearful dog (no matter what breed), but on the whole, a Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy is a born people pleaser. They are fascinated by people and seem to identify with them. They also have a lot of strength and high energy levels, which comes in good for service and search and rescue dogs.

Best Seeing Eye Dogs

According to service dog experts and charities that train seeing eye dogs in England, the best dog for the job is a Labrador/Golden retriever crossbred. There is an extensive breeding program run in England by Guide Dogs to raise dogs to be seeing eye dogs. A Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy is first tested at about eight weeks of age to see what his personality is like.

Their training never really stops. Many a Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy fails the program and is put up for adoption as a pet. To take a Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy and turn out a dependable life-saver costs an average of $70,000 (US). They work until old age or illness forces them to retire, and then they are placed in care homes for the remainder of their lives.

Other Facts

Although many online Labrador puppies information web sites will say that a Golden Labrador is always yellow, this is not true. Occasionally there is a black or chocolate Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy born. You can register your Labrador/Golden Retriever puppy with the American Canine Hybrid Club.

Every day, there is a newborn Golden / Labrador Retriever puppy who makes that first step to being a drug sniffing dog, cancer sniffing dog, service dog or a search and rescue dog. They all can rescue us from ourselves and our selfishness and help give our souls back to ourselves.

Poodles are generally fun-loving dogs that have a pretty reserved temperament, so if you’re looking for an agreeable pet that your family will love, you may want to consider a miniature poodle. Here is some general information about these dogs that will help you to make the right decision, as well as some things you can expect once you bring your pet home.

The Concerns

There are a few concerns that you may have about owning a miniature poodle and one of them is grooming. The poodle’s hair tends to be curly and thick, so it will be necessary for you to make sure that your poodle puppy is groomed regularly or as often as possible. For puppies the standard grooming cut is normally short hair all over the body, and this may need to be done every month so that your miniature poodle looks great. The colors of the miniature poodles vary from brown, white, black and cafe-au-lait, and these are on many occasions displayed in the pet stores. In addition to this you can also have your poodle’s coat temporarily dyed for special occasions or events. These can come in a variety of colors like apricot, red, blue, gray or silver which are the normally accepted colors for poodle coats. Such coloring or dyeing normally do not damage the miniature poodles hair.

Learning about your dog’s temperament is also ideal before you buy your miniature poodle. You may have to socialize your dog as a puppy, since poodles tend to be very reserved when dealing with strangers. Miniature poodles tend to bark a lot as well, which means that will do a good job of alerting you if something goes wrong in the home. In most cases, your dog will like to play with children, but some poodle varieties can be a little high-strung, so try to see the parents or even grandparents of the puppies you are considering before taking them home. Your miniature poodle will also be great at learning tricks in most cases, which means you can entertain family and friends.

The life span of a miniature poodle is relatively long compared to other dogs, so it will be essential for you to look out for any genetic issues that could possibly arise. Cataracts are common problems that occur in all varieties of poodles, and blindness could be caused by retinal atrophy, so you need to regularly take your miniature poodle to the vet to be checked up for vision and nervous system problems. Often it may also be necessary for your pet to be checked for you ear infections and runny eyes. Finally, the poodle’s skin tend to be very sensitive, for example skin rashes and allergies may occur with the use of certain shampoo or dyes, and in addition the use of clippers may also cause skin conditions to occur.

For more great information on how to care for your miniature poodle, visit www.petguidelines.com.

For some people it is an offence to have a barking dog around them, they think that dogs should be seen and not heard. This is slightly unfair given that the bark is a dog’s voice and like yourself it uses it to communicate.

Of course barking is your dog's way of talking and many owners would feel there is something missing if their dog was silent and of course there is the guarding duty many owners expect their dogs to perform. In most cases your dog is just trying to talk to you, perhaps he is just happy about something, dog obedience training will help you to find this out for sure.

The problem is that the language barrier between barking dogs and humans is well nigh impenetrable. Therefore, you are forced to resort to the facts of the situation in which your dog is barking and try to understand from its body language just what it is trying to say.

Apart from that many people ask just why do dogs bark? Your dog can bark for many reasons and not all are good ones.

Naturally they will bark when they are happy about something such as greeting you on your return or perhaps they are happy about running around in the park.

Some dogs having barking bred into to them such as toy dogs or sporting breeds where they are trained to bark in order to notify their owners of the presence of a particular quarry being hunted. Other dogs like the guarding breeds are trained only to bark when a threat is perceived.

One of the good reasons as to why your dog barks is simply to warn you of the presence of strangers. I assume that you want this to continue as many people use dogs for just this purpose.

Again the context of the situation will help you to decide the likely cause. But of course it is not fair for you to try to shut the dog up. She may be communicating for a very good reason, you just need to spend some effort in understanding her.

However, dogs are not stupid animals there are situations where they realise that they can use their bark to annoy or force their owner into a particular action. Barking as a means of bullying is something your dog may well try, don't let it.

For instance you dog may have decided that it is time to play and continues barking until you give in and drop what you are doing to amuse her. The problem here is that the dog then learns that all she has to do is to bark whenever she wants something and you will oblige.

This can get very wearing after a quite short period of time. The best approach would have been to show the dog that it cannot get its own way by giving it the cold shoulder.

Being ignored is not only a human hang up, dogs hate it too so make out to ignore it to show it your displeasure. After repeated actions your dog should eventually get the message.

Naturally play and walks are an essential aspect of owning a dog, but you go when you want to go, play when you want to. This teaches your dog respect and hopefully makes for a quieter household with limited barking dog problems.

Consult a good book on dog obedience training like SitStayFetch to solve many of the problems you will encounter when you are training your dog.

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. Beware that your dog's mouth has a lot of sharp teeth in it which will chew into most things.

Whatever you do never let your dog chew anything of yours, just being allowed one item can be interpreted by your dog as there being everything up for grabs.

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. If you have ev er baby proofed your house then you know what to do here. Do you really need to tempt fate.

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.

It should not need saying that food needs to be put away very securely. Storing food with a dog around is a problem that is best solved by placing some items up high and making use of strong containers.

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.

Never weaken your position by allowing your dog to chew items you no longer need, for instance old shoes. Once she has the taste do not be surprised to find shoes you care about being treated to the same destructive chewing.

Think about providing your dog with lots of alternative tasty objects that she can chew. 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.

They’re elegant, popular and sometimes questionable. They come mass made and some with designer labels. They also make unbelievably expensive chew toys for many puppies and dogs. They’re leather dog collars, once the standard dog gear and now a luxury thing. Is a leather dog collars right for your pet?

Advantages

Some of the pros of using leather dog collars are that they are long lasting provided you are willing to take care of them correctly. Although they cost more initially than rayon or nylon collars, they can sometimes last longer than the life of your dog. A lot owners of dogs who get good and muddy prefer to use leather dog collars and leashes than of other materials because it is so durable.

Another benefit is that leather always goes with your dog’s coat, whether it is brown leather or black leather. Leather has a timeless look and a great smell, if you take care of the leather properly. There are now a big selection of leather dog collars in different patterns, colors, with rhinestones or other additions. There are even widely known designers of people fashions who are getting into pet fashions.

Cons

The main disadvantage of leather dog collars is that it’s made out of very tasty animal hide. At least, your dog thinks it’s tasty. You can’t explain to your dog that it’s not alright to chew on the $100 rolled leather dog collar but it is okay to chew on rawhide treats. They are made of nearly the same stuff. Dogs will chew on leather, although with patience and persistence, they can be trained not to.

Other disadvantages are having to clean and condition the leather dog collar and leash. You dont have these worries with nylon or rayon collars and leashes. You can throw them in the bath along with the dog. But prolonged exposure to soaking water will destroy leather. You need to get special soaps and conditioners for them. You might need to have the leather collars worn only on special occasions.

If you are a vegetarian or vegan, than you are already trying to cut out all animal-based products from your life. The thought of killing cows for dog collars might not sit well in your mind. But there are good looking faux leather dog collars that are almost as tough as leather on the market. As an added bonus, they don’t have the strong smell that attracts dogs looking for a quick snack.

Every pet owner wants to keep their pet safe, and dog owners are no exception to this rule. This is why many concerned dog owners invest in an Invisible Fence system.

Invisible Fence is an electronic pet containment system. An electrical wire is laid underground along the outside of an area. The dog is fitted with a special electronic collar. When the dog approaches the perimeter, a warning beep sounds. This gives the dog the opportunity to back away from the perimeter. If the dog ignores the beeping, a mild electric shock is delivered via the electronic collar to the dog’s neck.

This technique may sound cruel, but it’s not. The shock is very mild, as the power comes from batteries in the dog’s collar, not from the buried wire. It’s the surprise that gets a reaction. And the shock level is adjusted according to the size of the dog — smaller dogs get a much smaller shock.

Note that Invisible Fence, like all wireless pet fences, doesn’t work its magic in a vacuum. The dog must be conditioned to run away from the perimeter when the warning beep occurs. Little flags are placed along the perimeter to act as visual cues during the training, which initially occurs with a leashed dog. The collar is also placed into training (no shock) mode.

To perform the conditioning, the owner approaches the perimeter with the dog. As soon as the dog passes the flags that mark the perimeter, the collar will start beeping. The owner immediately tugs on the leash and walks quickly away from the perimeter, calling the dog’s name. With lots of praise and encouragement, the owner makes it a fun game for the dog.

Done over several training sessions, the dog learns to immediately leave the boundary area as soon as the beeping occurs. Eventually the training is done without a leash and with the collar in its normal mode. If the dog ignores the beeping, the first shock it receives is usually enough to cause it to heed the collar’s warning the next time it approaches the perimeter.

All dogs do not need containment with an Invisible Fence system. But it works surprisingly well for those that do.