Doggy Mentor

Archive for January, 2009

By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll have a better understanding of fear aggression in dogs.  Plus you’ll also know several dog training behavior modification techniques to use when dealing with this problem in your dog.

What Causes Dog Behavior Problems Like This One?

Fear aggression in dogs can have many causes.  Certain dog breeds, like the herding breeds, are more prone to this problem than others.  Neglecting to socialize your dog when he’s a puppy can contribute to canine aggression towards strangers.  Past abuse may also be a factor.

Even if puppy socialization isn’t an issue, many dogs go through a “shy” period when they hit adolescence at around six months.  It’s important to keep exposing your pup to lots of situations to avoid him becoming wary of new people and new animals.

Dog Behavior Modification Techniques

If your dog is already displaying fear aggression, here are six steps for dog training behavior modification you can use to desensitize your dog to strangers.You want your dog to learn that if a stranger approaches, good things happen!

To start, you’ll need a few volunteers to act as strangers.  You dog also needs to be on a leash so he’s under your control at all times.

First, figure out which treat your dog loves best.  It shouldn’t be something he gets on a regular basis.  Steak, liver, chicken, cheese, hot dogs, whatever it is, it should be something he absolutely loves.

Second, the only time he gets this favorite treat is when a stranger is present.What you’re doing is teaching your dog to associate a stranger being around with getting this wonderful treat.

Third, you’ll need to figure out what is triggering your dog’s canine aggression.As long as a stranger is outside, he may not have a problem, but if the stranger comes inside the house, it’s another story.He may find all men frightening, or just certain men, or kids of a certain age.  Do sudden movements, or somebody getting too close agitate him?  Observe him carefully to see what sets him off.

The fourth step is to expose your dog to a stranger.  Stay inside your dog’s comfort zone.  You want to move slowly so you don’t provoke him to an aggressive display.  Your dog should know a stranger is around, but he shouldn’t be overly concerned about it. 

Fifth, as soon as your dog is aware of the stranger, start feeding him treats.  Sixth, before the dog starts getting aggressive toward the stranger, you either have the stranger leave, or your and your dog will leave.

It’s very important that your dog is continuing to eat the treats.  If he won’t eat, then the stranger is too close.  If the dog isn’t relaxed enough to eat, you’re moving too quickly with the dog training behavior modification. 

Remember that you aren’t rewarding your dog for doing something right.  What you’re doing is changing his emotional state.

More Tips For Dog Behavior Modification

You’ll continue to work within your dog’s comfort zone, varying the distance the stranger is from your dog.  The stranger may be six feet away one day, eight the next, seven after that.  As long as aggressive dog behavior isn’t seen, you’re doing fine. 

Continue these steps for several weeks.  Now you’re going to start working outside your dog’s comfort zone by having the stranger come a little closer, maybe five feet away.  Keep working to reduce the distance your dog is from the stranger. 

You can see that this is a long, slow process.  It can be tempting to try to move along faster, but if you push too hard, you can undo all your hard work.  Keep the training sessions short, and end the session if your dog is getting nervous.

Do yourself a favor and find a good dog training course.  This can be a very helpful aid when using dog behavior modification techniques.  You’ll want to look for one that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer so you can get help, if necessary.

Visit No More Bad Dogs to learn more about dog behavior modification.

Has this ever happened to you?  You treat your dog for canine cystitis, but as soon as the medication is gone, the dog urinary tract infection is back.  Your dog is in pain, she’s piddling all over the house, and you’re frustrated.  Why is this happening?  You and your dog both need a solution to this problem.

What Causes Canine Cystitis?

Most urinary tract infections in dogs are caused by bacteria that are normally found in your dog’s digestive tract.Because the urethra in a female is shorter and broader, it’s easier for bacteria to enter and travel to the bladder, causing a dog urinary tract infection.

With canine bladder stones, the question is, which came first, the stone or the infection?  Bladder stones in dogs irritate the bladder walls, which can cause a dog urinary tract infection.  But certain bladder infections in dogs cause bladder stones to develop, especially struvite stones in dogs.  The best bet is to try to avoid the problem in the first place.

Is There Any Way To Prevent Urinary Tract Infections In Dogs?

You can help your canine friend in a number of ways:

• She should have plenty of clean fresh water available.  A 60-pound dog can drink up to three quarts of water a day, which may be more than you would expect.
• A dog who’s drinking plenty of water needs to go outside for a potty break every few hours.Don’t expect her to hold it for a long time.
• Boost your buddy’s immune system by feeding her a low-ph, high-quality natural diet with no artificial coloring or preservatives.
• Make a daily long walk with her part of your routine.She needs lots of exercise every day to keep her in top shape.
• Bathe her regularly to keep the bacteria away from her urethra.

What Causes Recurring Urinary Tract Infections In Dogs?

If the infection keeps coming back, it’s possible that your dog never got rid of it in the first place.  Your vet should do a urinalysis and a dog urine culture to identify which bacteria is causing the infection.  A sensitivity test is also necessary to decide which is the best antibiotic to use.  

Be sure to give your dog all of the antibiotic, no matter how much of a hassle it is.You’ll want to check to be sure the bacteria are gone by having another urine culture done.

Can Natural Remedies For Pets Prevent Cystitis In Dogs?

Yes, they can.  But it’s important to use a remedy that has been especially formulated for pets.Uva ursi and barberry, and the the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagria should be included in the remedy you choose.  These treatments have stood the test of time in humans, and they’re very effective for dogs, too.

These remedies are safe to use right along with the antibiotic treatment.  They don’t interfere with the drugs in any way, and regular use  supports bladder health in your dog long after the antibiotic is gone.  

Do business only with a long-established company with a great reputation for manufacturing only the highest-quality pet products.Find out what other pet owners think of the product you’re thinking about purchasing by reading their testimonials.

Now you can end the frustration of recurring bladder infections in dogs by using what you’ve learned here to keep your dog happy and healthy.

Pug history is quite interesting and colorful. Pugs are known to be loyal, affectionate, and playful house pets that are known for their smallness in size and ease in taking care of. The Pug breed goes back to around 400 BC in China where they were bred to be companions of royalty. Even the wrinkle on the pugs forehead which forms a W is said to relate to the Chinese character for "Prince.”

The pug was also known for it's relation to European royalty. The most famous story about its loyalty was in the 16th century with William III. It is said that the pug of William III, named, Pompey woke his master with his barking as a warning during the night before a surprise attack by the Spaniards. Because of this, Sir William was able to escape being captured.

Indeed, Pug history shows that this breed has often been a favorite of many historical figures including Josephine, wife of Napoleon. Josephine had a Pug named Fortune whom she used to smuggle secret messages to Napoleon under the dogs collar when she was imprisoned in at Les Carmes.

Though there is still much debate over how the pug was named that way, several records show that also in the 16th century, the word “pug” meant “endearment.later on this word came to mean "courtesan or "bargeman.” In the later centuries, it was known to describe or define the breed of dog that it is now.

In the 18th century the American Kennel Club accepted the Pug breed for registration. Since then, the pug has been known to be a great excellent show dog as well. It certainly lives up to its motto “Multum in Parvo” which literally means “a lot of dog in a small space.”

As you can see, Pug history is full of glamor and intrigue but, as any Pug owner will tell you, today’s pugs are just as wonderful as pets and companions as they were centuries ago.

It seems like every time you turn around, you hear something about natural remedies.  More and more people are concerned about what kind of medicines they’re taking.  Interest in herbal and homeopathic treatments is higher than ever. 

So it’s only natural that dog owners would be wondering about natural remedies for urinary tract infections in dogs.  In this article, we’ll take a look at some traditional treatments for bladder and urinary problems, and then see what kind of natural treatment for dogs with cystitis is available.

Two Well-Known Herbal Treatments For UTIs

Barberry, also known as Oregon grape holly, has been used for centuries in Europe, China, and North America to treat all kinds of urinary tract disorders.Berberine, an anti-inflamatory agent that’s also effective for killing staph and strep, is found in this herb.  With these properties, barberry is extremely useful in treating these infections.

Uva ursi has a long history in the traditional folk medicine of Europe for treating bladder problems.  This herb is a strong diuretic that also tones the urinary system.  Like barberry, it has an antiseptic effect on the bladder, plus it soothes inflamed tissues.

Homeopathic Remedies For Bladder Infections

Homeopathic remedies soothe the pain and urgency of bladder infections, along with helping the body heal itself.The two most recommended homeopathic remedies for bladder infections are Cantharis and Staphysagria.

Cantharis is a help in relieving the urgency and burning that goes along with cystitis.  It also helps to get rid of the feeling that the bladder is still full, even after it’s just been emptied.

Staphysagria is useful for the burning pain as well.This remedy also promotes healing if a catheter has been used.

Are These Remedies Available As A Natural Treatment For Dogs?

Cystitis in dogs is about as common as cystitis in people is.  The question is, are natural remedies for urinary tract infections in dogs as common as they are for people?

Yes, they are.  But there are some things you should be aware of.  If you use one of these remedies, and it doesn’t help within 24 to 36 hours, take your dog to the vet.Some bladder infections can travel to the kidney very quickly, so if you don’t see improvement within a day or two, take your dog to the vet.

It’s OK to use a natural treatment for dogs right along with the antibiotic.  In fact, these therapies work well together.  The antibiotic kills the bacteria causing the infection, while the natural treatments support bladder health without interfering with how the antibiotic works.

Do I Need To Give My Dog Four Different Treatments?

The good news is that these four safe, effective treatments have been combined into one easy-to-use product.  Just sprinkle the granules on the back of your dog’s tongue and let them dissolve.  No more fighting to get a pill or bad-tasting medicine down your dog’s throat!

Be sure to buy your remedy from a company with a great reputation for producing only the highest-quality products for pets.  It’s important to use a product that has been formulated especially for companion animals, not for people. 

Do your homework and check for testimonials from other pet owners who have used the product and are happy with it.

Now that you know how well these natural remedies for urinary tract infections in dogs work, you’ll want to try them the next time cystitis in dogs strikes your best friend.

Are you just plain fed up?  Does feeding your dog turn into a nightmare of aggressive dog behavior if anyone in the household comes near him while he’s eating?  If your pooch is displaying food aggression in dogs, this serious dog behavior problem needs to be stopped before your dog attacks you or someone in your family.

Dog Food Aggression Is Instinctive Behavior For Canines

Dogs in the wild protect their food, their mates, and their territory.  Aggressive behavior in dogs is necessary for their survival.  The most aggressive dog is the pack leader, or alpha male, and he enforces his position by being the dominant dog in the pack. 

However, your dog shouldn’t be the leader of the pack in your household.  If he is, you’re in for trouble, because he thinks he’s the alpha male, and like he would in the wild, he’ll enforce his position by using aggressive dog behavior.  This is a dominance issue that won’t go away on its own.  You must take steps to deal with his aggressive behavior before it reaches a dangerous level.

Causes of Food Aggression In Dogs

Many people think that a puppy who is aggressively guarding his food is cute.  Don’t do it!  This is a serious training mistake many dog owners make.  Instead of encouraging this kind of canine possession aggression, you need to nip this problem in the bud.

Your dog doesn’t clearly understand who the pack leader is.Your dog thinks there’s a leadership vacuum if you don’t take the role of the alpha male (even if you’re female).  If you don’t step into the role, he will.  And he won’t be nice about enforcing his position in your household.

He thinks that since he’s top dog, he can take whatever he wants from whoever is lower in rank than him.  The reality is that the family dog should be at the bottom of the heap, not the top.  Anyone in the household should be able to take anything away from him, even his food.  Of course, you’re not really going to do this, but he needs to know where he stands in your household pack. 

Dog Food Aggression Training

With a puppy, you’ll make it clear that having people or other animals around when he’s eating is OK.  Do this right from the beginning, and you’ll probably never have a problem with this type of aggressive dog behavior.  Anyone in the family should be able to safely stand right next to him at any time while he’s eating.You should take control of his food if this isn’t the case.

It’s always a good idea to feed your dog after you and your family have finished eating.  Your dog will instinctively understand that the alpha dog always eats first.This makes it very clear in your dog’s mind exactly where he ranks in the family hierarchy.

Require that your dog sit and stay quietly while you’re fixing his food.  If he whines and jumps around and demands food, don’t give in.  He needs to earn his food by behaving in a non-aggressive manner. 

If your dog growls at you, don’t let him “win” by giving him food.  This only rewards his bad dog behavior.

If food aggression in dogs is already a serious problem in your household, a dog behavior course may be your next step.  Look for a course that includes a consultation with an experienced dog trainer, and that has a forum where you can get advice from other dog owners.

Now that you know what to do, don’t delay in taking steps to control dog food aggression.

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times: “Don’t bother the dog while he’s eating.”  This is probably good advice for small children who shouldn’t be trying to play with the dog at mealtime.  However, a dog that’s always by himself when he eats may be learning a lesson about food aggression in dogs that you’d rather he didn’t.

In the wild, the leader of the dog pack is always the first one to eat, usually by himself.Your dog may get the wrong message if you always leave him alone at mealtime.  This can lead to aggressive dog behavior in the form of him snapping or growling at anyone who ventures too close while he’s eating.

Don’t Let Dog Food Aggression Get Started

When your dog is still a puppy, always feed him after you and your family have already eaten.  This reinforces the idea for him that you and your family members all rank above him in the pack.

When you feed your puppy, anyone should be able to approach him while he’s eating.  Slipping a little treat into his bowl teaches him that it’s good for someone to get close.

Four Steps To Control Food Aggression In Dogs

An older dog who is already using aggressive dog behavior to protect his food will require different training.

Spend about ten to fourteen days on each of these steps.Follow through with these things every time you feed your dog.  If your dog is extremely aggressive around food, you may need to keep him on a leash for your own protection.  

The first thing you’ll do is to put his food dish away for a couple of weeks.  Your dog will be eating out of your hand for a while.  Feed him just a few pieces of dog food at a time, until his meal is finished.

After a couple of weeks, you can progress to the next stop.  Get out your dog’s food bowl again, but don’t put anything in it.  After a while, walk by and drop a couple of pieces of kibble in it.  When he eats it, keep adding small handfuls of food every couple of minutes until his meal is finished.  At this point, he’ll probably be begging you to walk up to his bowl.

You can progress to the next step in about ten days; put out a half-full bowl of kibble for your dog.  Walk up to him as he’s eating, and as you go by, drop in a couple of treats.  Then walk up again and add the rest of his food.

The last step is to put a full bowl of food down for him while he’s obeying the sit-stay command.Keep your control over him by not allowing him to eat until you release him from the command.  This is where the leash comes in handy, as you have control over him for this step, but hopefully you won’t need to use it.Break things up once or twice a week by calling him over to you while he’s eating and rewarding him with a tasty treat.  

Always use the sit-stay, wait, and take-it commands when you feed him so that your dog understands that you’re in charge of the food.  This reinforces your status as the alpha dog for him.

If your dog reverts to his old dog food aggression behavior, start again at step one.  

Look For A Good Dog Training Course

Food aggression in dogs is a dominance issue that’s usually a symptom of other problems in the relationship between the owner and the dog.A good basic dog obedience course can be very helpful.  

Try to find a course that includes a free consultation with a dog trainer with years of experience.  Check for testimonials from satisfied customers who have used the course material already.

Take this advice to begin solving your problem with dog food aggression now.

The general public has an increased interest in providing for the best possible welfare for domestic animals and has caused an increase in developments to make those improvements. In particular, the field of pet dog concern has gained much effort and resources for innovations and advancement towards achieving the best possible ideal living condition for this domesticated animal family.

Dog Obedience

In particular to the interest of the ideal living condition for pet dogs, significant issues and means have now been produced in the interest of achieving a healthy living condition for this domesticated animal kind. Part of this is the presence of dog bed cover which is directed towards providing sleep comfort for your animals. The comfort and health of your dog are the main purpose.

Why Dog Bed Covers are Important

Why you should consider purchasing a dog bed cover? Dog bed covers are important for providing the most beneficial living condition for your dog. Generally, the traditional approach of just letting your pet dog sleep in boxes, rags, or even anywhere is not sufficient anymore. Pet owner must take the responsibility of providing their pet what they actually need for a health living condition. The dog bed cover provide this through its effective system for cushioning the delicate body of your pet and controlling the temperature through the contact area thus, providing a relaxing and soothing sleeping experience for your dog.

Dog bed covers improve the overall health of your dog, not just a soft spot to sleep. Animals that are able to rest comfortably are able to restore their health easier; dog bed covers help to provide the comfortable experience for restful sleep.

Further, most dog bed cover in market today also have antibacterial and anti-infestation properties wherein as your pet dog lay on top of it in sleep, the dog bed cover properties cleanse the animal’s fur and eliminate  present pests such as ticks and bugs. This product enhances the overall health of your pet.
Acquiring a dog bed cover for your pet is does not necessarily require significant financial investment. Most dog bed covers in the market are made with strength and durability providing efficiency and value for their cost. Further, many dog bed replacement cover are also widely available in the present which the pet owner population can avail of for their respective interest.

Providing a comfortable and relaxing sleep for your pet is easy with the use of dog bed covers, and thus it improves their overall welfare.

Dog Obedience

Gone are the days when the pet lovers used to carry their pets in their arms or even they would allow the pet to accompany them walking? There are a lots of options available with many accessories where we can allow our pet to accompany us in a stylish way. Yes! We can buy the pet strollers, dog carriers, and even the dog bike baskets which are designed in a very elegant way so that we can carry the pet in an easy manner. If you are an passionate cycle rider and you always ride your cycle and also love your puppy, then you can now carry your pet in the modish Sport Cruiser Pet Bike Basket which is priced for just $ 112.00 which means it is quite affordable for any common man. The item no. of this beautiful cycle is SKU164131. It hardly takes any time to attach the basket to the cycle. I was very excited when I bought this cycle for my daughter because this was a double gain for me. First and the foremost gain was that my daughter would be fit while riding the bicycle and secondly my pet would also get a good and perfect ride on the bicycle. Together they will enjoy.

This bicycle with the designer dog carriers basket is so perfectly designed that it gives all the comfort to the puppy while he/she is put into it. To give more cozy and comfortable feel especially during the winter one can even put a small blanket in the basket. There are so many features of this Sport Cruiser Pet Bike Basket that I insisted my husband to get it for my daughter. The basket is so spacious that all the necessary articles which one needs to carry can very easily carry for example the leashes, keys, the cell phone, the sun glasses and even the music player if one is fond of the music. The basket weighs for even less than 5 lbs. The handle bars can be comfortably secured with the help of original click connectors. My puppy was feeling comfortable and safe when my daughter put her in the basket and we could see the joy on her face too. She was wagging her tail in excitement showing her feelings. The Pet Cruiser Sport Bike is generally available only in four delightful colors these are Pink, Blue, Lime and the Silver. We chose the pink color for a simple reason that our puppy liked the color pink, this was evident because whenever she used to see color pink she starts jumping.

More advanced features which impressed us to buy this bicycle are that this bicycle comes with a sturdy cushion internal assembly which means it would give the best comfort to the puppy. The basket is made up with the help of six integral air vents, which allows the pet to be cool even in the chance of sudden showers. The liner pad can be easily removed and washed when it turns dirty. The 600 X 600 denier rip stop polyester fabric is used to cover the basket.

Did you know that puppy bladder infections are very common?  It’s easy to miss a puppy urinary tract infection simply because puppies do tend to piddle a lot.  But if you’re having trouble housetraining your puppy, and she can’t seem to hold her urine for more than a few minutes, you should investigate this possibility further.

Symptoms Of Bladder Infections In Puppies

We all know our dogs are super-smart, but even the smartest pup can’t talk to you and tell you what’s bothering her.  It’s up to us as responsible dog owners to keep our eyes open for the symptoms of canine urinary tract infections:

• Bloody urine
• Urine that smells really bad
• Straining while urinating
• No energy; just lays around a lot
• Lower abdomen is tender to the touch
• Urinating all over the house

This last symptom is the one you’ll want to watch for with a puppy.  

What Can Cause A Puppy Urinary Tract Infection?

There are several reasons why your little buddy develops a puppy bladder infection.  Female dogs are more prone to this problem because their urethras are shorter and broader than a male dog’s urethra.Your pup may end up with a canine bladder infection if bacteria make their way into her bladder.  

It’s also important that your puppy is drinking enough water.A young dog whose urine is too concentrated may be at risk for a puppy urinary tract infection.

Your puppy wil mature before you know it.Going through puberty will cause her hormone balance to change.  When this happens, her body’s ph balance changes.  Just like in humans, this can make her more prone to a canine urinary tract infection.  You can avoid this whole scenario by having her spayed before her first heat.  

We all want to save money, but cutting corners on your puppy’s diet isn’t the way to do it.  Making the investment in the highest-quality dog food possible will pay itself back many times by avoiding health problems and high vet bills later on in your dog’s life.  

Choose a good quality canned food if possible, but if you feed dry kibble, find one that has high amounts of meat or chicken in it.  Avoid dry dog food that’s mostly grain.  Grain-based dog food changes the urine ph, which can lead to recurring urinary tract infection in dogs.

Natural Remedies For Pets With Puppy Bladder Infections

There are many natural ways to treat bladder infections in puppies.1000 mg of vitamin C once a day for a couple of days may knock out the infeciton.  Be sure she’s drinking lots of water.  Adding a broth with salt in it to her food will make her thirsty and encourage her to drink more water and flush her system.

People have been using certain herbs and homeopathic remedies to treat bladder infections for many years.  You’ll be happy to know that there is now a safe, effective herbal pet remedy that you can give your puppy every day to support bladder health and prevent bladder infections in dogs.  This remedy is manufactured by a long-established company with a sterling reputation for producing the highest-quality pet remedies.

If your young dog is already having problems with puppy bladder infections, do yourself and your little friend a favor and learn how herbal pet remedies can treat and prevent this problem.

Tell me, does this describe your dog?  Whenever somebody comes to your door, your dog puts on a big show of barking and acting brave, but all the time he’s backing up.If a stranger gets too close, he’ll retreat to a safe distance, while keeping a watchful eye on this suspicious person.  These are signs of fear aggression in dogs.

If you don’t deal with this problem now, it will only get worse as your dog gets older.  In this article, we’ll take a look at what causes this type of aggressive behavior in dogs, and what to do about it.

Causes of Fear Aggression In Dogs

One of the main causes of this kind of canine aggression is a lack of socialization when your dog was younger.  If your dog doesn’t have lots of opportunities to interact with unfamiliar people and other dogs when he’s between the ages of three and twelve weeks, he’ll have a hard time trusting people and dogs he doesn’t know.  

Unfortunately, another reason for this fearful behavior is that your dog was abused at some point in his life.An abused dog needs lots of love and attention to overcome his fearfulness.

Some breeds of dogs, including herding breeds, are more prone to developing fearfulness.  This aggressive dog behavior tends to run in certain breed lines, too.  

Hormonal imbalances may be a factor.  A dog with borderline hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormones) may be anxious and fearful.  Thyroid treatment is helpful in these cases.

Will This Type of Fearful Canine Aggression Go Away On Its Own?

Unfortunately, no.  A fearful dog may learn that he can intimidate people by barking at them.  Once he figures out that this works very well, his behavior will get worse, especially around people who are scared of dogs anyway.  

A dog may be so successful in hiding his fearfulness with a veneer of aggression that it’s hard to tell that the fear is what’s driving his bad dog behaviors.

How Can I Train A Dog With Fear Aggression?

A reward-based technique is usually the best way to deal with aggressive behavior in dogs that’s caused by fear.  If your dog doesn’t like people, you need to figure out how to teach him that this stranger really does like dogs, and if you dog gets close to him, he’ll give your pup a treat.  

You need a volunteer for this, someone who’s very patient with dogs.  Have your friend sit in a chair and scatter dry food around it.  Your dog can get close or back off if he wants.Sooner or later, your dog will get close enough to get the food.  

The next time, have your friend hold the kibble in his hand.  Be patient and let the dog come to him to get the treat.  Don’t pay any attention to the dog if he’s acting fearful.If your dog is behaving aggressively due to fear, don’t reward his bad dog behavior with your attention by reassuring him or punishing him. When he gets close enough to get the food, that’s when you want to praise him.

You can see that dealing with fear aggression in dogs can be a long and difficult process.  A good dog training course can be a very helpful guide when working with a fearful dog.Be sure the course you choose includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer.