Doggy Mentor

Archive for August, 2009

One infamous Puggle trait that can easily take the fun out of Puggle ownership is a dog given to snatching things from somewhere in the house and nibbling on them. In this puggle training article, lets go over how most Puggle owners get their dogs to overcome this unwanted behavior.

What you can do as Puggle owner is to initially keep the offending on a leash inside the home so as to help it stop its stealing. When the dog tries to go for off-limits objects, forbid it with a firm “No!”, while giving it the proper toy to use. Its chewing on furniture can be discouraged by applying bitter apple spray on surfaces, or tabasco sauce. Since you will also be out of the house for quite some time in a day, why not also invest time and effort in crate training? Sooner or later, the dog will need it anyway, and the rest of Puggle training.

Many Puggle owners good-naturedly say that the breed seem to hold as a distinct trademark the vices of snatching things to grab attention, and toy-eating. Squeaky toys are good distractions for them. But there are some Puggles obedient enough to just simply let go at a command whatever it was they were stealing; in other words, they also “know” guilt! Yet another treat you can use to get to the better side of the dog is to give it ice cubes, which the dog seem to hold as valuable treats.

To end, if there is a time in the puppy’s life that it will chew the most, it would be when it is teething at four to twelve months. Keep plenty of safe toys all over the house, and all over means literally all over. You may have to put up with bumping simultaneously into two or three things at any time, but the dog chewing on a toy is vastly more preferable to having it, say, make an attempt on your clothes or documents. Have fun with your Puggle training

The puggle is acknowledged as the newbie among the hybrid dogs. They come from a beagle and pug parent pair. Indeed, the better halves of the parents’ personalities seem to have transferred on the two parents, i.e. sweet tempered with tons of affection in store for its owner(s). Especially when equipped with puggle training, the dog is not only low-maintenance, but also has the attractive traits of a wrinkly face, loose skin, and family-oriented.

In general, the issues that make up Puggle training are not so different from what is commonly observed in most dogs. So, a puggle owner is likely to bring up that potty training is already underway for some 2 months, with results have yet to be seen. Other puggles may also be given to stealing occasional bites from family member’s trouser legs and unguarded limbs. Puggles can also be observed to sleep a lot, and will devote much of their time to active participation in games.

Up to their adult lives, puggles stay loyal, dedicated and loving, always ready to please their owners. There is even an argument held by puggle owners that the dog breed is capable of improving the general family atmosphere for the better due to the breed’s optimistic, go-getter attitude. These hardy dogs are quite at home with boys into rough-housing, or girls who would rather groom them or make them sit beside them.

The temperament of a breed that seem to have the makings of a pet is among those worth a closer look. There is no need to worry about the Puggle, though. Mild-mannered is among the most fitting descriptions of the breed, and the puggle equipped with Puggle training is among the least likely to exhibit aggression or have mood swings. Not only is the breed accommodating of adults, but bonds well with children too.

We have yet to know much about the science behind raising hybrid breeds. Nevertheless, there is agreement that the outstanding temperament traits of the dog must be owed by the dog to its beagle and pug parents. Therefore, the energy of the dog is thanks to the athletic beagle. Another side of the dog’s personality, its calm and mellow moments, must be from the pug, which is wont to generally warm the sofa.

As in all areas of educating, there are different methods of doing things, and different beliefs about what is right and wrong. Religion would be one of these. The next thing that occurs is that children have different ways of learning. To spank or not to spank, that is the question. How to train your dog might run a close third with questions like Pinch collar, or Choke Chain or none of the above?

Good behaviors can be encouraged in 3 different ways.

1. Positive reinforcement is a reward that encourages a response. Your dog will likely repeat his good behavior if you reward him more than once for that postiive behavior.

2. Negative reinforcement means that something is taken away in order to encourage a response. A dog that is being trained with the use of a shock collar, will do what he is supposed to do when the shock is taken away. The shock is eliminated when he is a good dog. Leaving early for work stimulates you to want to do it again because the result is that you don’t have to drive in heavy traffic. A continued result of lesser traffic reinforces your behavior of leaving early.

3. Punishment is an unpleasant thing that is added to the situation. This is different from “Negative Reinforcement”. Owners yell or smack their dogs for bad, aggressive behaviors. when children misbehave many parents have been known to get loud and in the childs face. You get the desired response due to fear of the punishment.

Ultimately, they will all get you a response. The dog will come when you yank its leash. If your dog believes that he is getting a treat from you he will come. Dogs also chase after their owners when they run in the opposite direction.

Rough or noisy behaviors coming from you can result in the response you wanted when the dog was misbehaving. Or, he will do what you want him to do because he knows he is getting a treat.

Does this mean what it sounds like? Would you rather your dog respond to you out of love or out of fear? It is entirely up to you to decide which way to go.

By

Dr. Marika Zoll

DrDogTalk.com

The SBC-18 collar is handy for those who are on the look out of a humanist solution to stop the relentless barking of their dog. It has a lot of advanced features, which include 18 progressive levels of correction and detection of barking with both sound and vibration sensors, as well as adjustability for neck sizes that range from 6 to 28 inches.

The ‘Test Collar’ feature enables you to test the working of the no bark 18 collar. Put the collar in “Test” mode, have it at a distance of 6-10 inches away from you and utter the word ‘test’ into the sensor. There should be a LED light flashing, indicating that the first level of static shock correction has been activated.

The collar always starts correction with the lowest level of static intensity, and it goes up to the next one automatically if the dog barks again within 30 seconds. However, the auto-shut-off feature that comes with the no bark 18 collar shuts down the unit for 3 minutes if your dog continues to bark for more than 15 times within 50 seconds.

Use the SBC-18 at times when you don’t want your dog to bark. The increasing statics corrections that are given progressively will distract the dog and keep it from barking. The corrections are always mild and painless, making it  a safe and harmless way to train your dog.

Features of The SBC-18

The most popular features of the collar are the number of correction levels it provides, resistance to water and bad weather, a test mode that will save you trips to get it fixed, and a limited guarantee.

The SBC-10 comes in a cool looking, modern orange color.

Using The SBC-18

The collar isn’t recommended for dogs that are too agressive. Do not use any other collar or object at the same time that the dog wears the SBC-18. That includes tethers or strings that might accidentally activate the collar. Do not make your dog wear this collar for more than 8 hours per day. Finally, don’t make your dog wear the collar too tightly in order to avoid rashes.

All puppies bark, it’s their way to communicate a message.

A dog barks for various reasons: to greet, to alert, out of boredom, to attract attention or when they are excited.

Although some form of barking is acceptable, too much barking is certainly annoying, especially for your neighbors and it  will eventually lead to complaints. The easiest way to stop dog barking is to control his/her barking while you are at home.

There are different ways to stop dog barking. Create a situation in which your dog will always bark.   For example, you can ask someone to ring your doorbell or knock on your door.

When your dog charges to the door and starts to bark loudly, approach your dog, grab its collar and give the command “quiet” – no shouting please, it never helps.

If your dog stops barking, praise it and reward it. She/He’s a genius and surely deserves it.

When it continues barking, close his/her mouth with your hand, wrap your fingers around its muzzle – use both hands if needed, and give the command for him/her to keep quiet. Praise if he/she stops.

Most dogs will be able to learn the “quiet” command with repeated training like this. Set up situations in which you expect your dog to bark and repeat this training whenever possible.

If you happen to have a hard-core persistent barker, use this method:

A solution of vinegar and water – mix a proportion of 7/8 water & 1/8 vinegar together. Pour the mixture into a water pistol or what kids call “super soaker” to shoot from a longer distance.

Aim and shoot at his chest every time he/she can’t stop barking when you command it. Dogs can’t stand the smell of vinegar and will usually back off and stop barking.She/Hemight even sneeze a few times. It’s harmless so you do not need to worry.

As always, praise it if it stops barking.

For your information, your dog might still be barking noisily and disrupting your neighborhood when you are not at home. If this happens, you’ll need some training equipment known as “bark collars” to help train it.

You can find a number of different kinds of bark collars in pet shops.

Some of these collars send a gentle electric shock to your dog when ithe barks, some make a high pitch sound or emit a squirt of citronella, which is annoying but safe for your dog.

Usually, these collars will help to stop dog barking.

Personally, I’ll recommend the high pitch sound or citronella collars. They are extremely effective and more humane dog training tools.

A dog grooming book is  a great learning material for people who want to groom their pets at home without having to regularly pay for professional services. Moreover, dog grooming books represent a good course support for anyone who takes classes or attends a training program to get certification and licensing. The number of publications is very large, and you may have difficulties choosing. The material can be ordered on eBay, but only after you check reviews and the author. A special place among dog grooming books is occupied by e-guides and other materials available for download on the Internet. Here are a few tips to help you select well.

Clearly state your objectives before purchasing dog grooming books. Do you you want to learn how to take care of your pet or do you plan to open a business? In case you want to develop skills for business purposes it is worth mentioning the fact that studying a dog grooming book is not enough; you’ll need qualifications from an institution specialized in dog grooming training. Check the list of contents before buying an e-guide! Most books are general in the approach, because they apply to almost all dog breeds. Try to identify the grooming element that raises most challenges for you: nail trimming, coat brushing, hair cutting or ear cleaning.

Dog grooming books can be more or less details on the topic that interests you. You may not need a few paragraphs but whole chapters dedicated to various topics or subtopics. Depending on the author and the aim of the book, some materials will focus on equipment and supplies, others on grooming techniques while many have a general content. Specialized books deserve all of our attention, individual publications that tackle with one topic alone definitely match professional requirements.

Some dog grooming books cover medium and long-haired breeds while others discuss short-haired dogs only. Moreover, very professional materials will describe hair cut options available for dogs with heavy coats, but this kind of dog grooming books target professional groomers first and foremost. Last but not least, certain breeds have physiological peculiarities that require special grooming. This is the case with dog breeds that have hair in the eyes. If you lack experience with such breeds, you may want to cut this hair so as to improve vision, and you’d be making a great mistake. Good dog grooming books teach you how not to make such blunders!

Do you have a dog that barks at your visitors uncontrollaby? Or one that barks very loudly until late hours at night and keeps you and your neighbors awake? If so, then the no bark 10 collar is the training collar you need to solve this problem.

The collar is activated by the vibration caused by your dog’s barking; in addition, it comes with a display that shows the level of the battery and the current correction level. You can also customize the operational modes of the SBC-10. For example, if you need to understand the number of corrections that your dog needs to reduce its barking, you can set the collar to “temperament learning” mode, which allows you to select one of 10 correction levels available. On the other hand, if you have no problem with the collar selecting automatically a level of correction for your love, then set it to “Progressive Correction” mode. If you decide to manually customize the static shock correction offered, you can make use of the ‘User Correction’ mode of the SBC-10 collar.

The SBC-10 comes with black straps made of plastic and can be adjusted on dogs’ necks of up to 27 inches; which makes it practical to use on almost any dog. It also has another mode: the “Test Mode;” and the 6 Volt battery that comes with the collar can be recharged for repeated use.

Pre-Usage Precautions

Remember to use the SBC-10 only in situations where barking would be totally out of place, for example, when people are sleeping. Also, check that the barking isn’t caused by an illness or injury. Never attach a leash or any other thing to the collar, because other objects might cause the collar to punish the dog even when it’s not barking. Make sure that you clean it frequently and help your dog to be away from skin inflammations while making use of the no bark 10 collar.

Not everybody can afford to constantly pay for professional dog grooming, which is why lots of people cover this pet care at home effectively and safely. People more willingly turn to dog grooming tips to care for their four-legged friends at home, as a form of saving money. The breed is important as well as the anatomical structure because every dog has different needs according to these two elements.

Brushes have to be well chosen to match the hair thickness and length. Maximum two brushes should do for regular brushing. For a good choice, read some dog grooming tips related to coat care specific for your dog’s breed. Check pictures and then find the items either at the local pet store or directly online from various dealers.

You can also learn how to clean the pet’s ears by reading professional dog grooming tips. Hair, wax and dirt make a very unpleasant combination building up in the ear canals and thus reduce the auditive acuity of your pet. The hair needs to be carefully pulled out frequently, so that wax does not build up on it. There are some special accessories which you can put on fingers and grip the hair without causing any damage or discomfort.

Clipping toenails is another challenge, and many home dog grooming tips can help you with it. Pet owners don’t like long claws because dogs can cause damage to the floors and carpets by scratching. Some medium clippers should do to help you cut the nails without injuries. Read online materials and even ask the veterinarian for recommendations.

Pay special attention the eyes as well, particularly since dog’s tearing has a staining effect. Tearing can be natural with some breeds, while with others it is a symptom of a health problem. A bit of hydrogen peroxide in warm water should reduce the discoloration on light colored dogs but you have to be extremely careful and not get too close to the eyes. This is not a standard dog grooming solution, but rather an improvisation that could prove a very bad idea on certain occasions.

Otherwise, with a little care and interest, you can implement many dog grooming tips successfully for your pet’s well being. Keep in mind the fact that grooming requires regularity, and that you should have time to take care of it every week. The condition of the hair and the nails rapidly deteriorates without proper care and you will notice the difference that comes with this kind of negligence.

Choosing a comfortable dog bed is important as your dog is generally viewed as one of the family. You wouldn’t make your son of daughter sleep on an uncomfortable bed and neither would you want that for your dog. All dogs have different sleep patterns and most dogs will actually sleep for about half of their lives. Larger dogs can even sleep up to 16 hours a day.

When purchasing a comfortable dog bed you need to look at the size of your dog. Dogs like to feel cuddled so you do not want the bed to be too roomy it should envelope your dog nicely. Many times comfortable dog beds will be curved or have sidewalls. You also need to purchase a bed that will not be ruined if your dog stands in it, as is the case sometimes with larger dogs.

The age of your dog will also play a part in choosing a comfortable dog bed. Older dogs may have trouble moving and can get arthritis. There are special orthopedic beds for older dogs that are easy for them to get in and out of as well as being heated. The heat can soothe your dog’s aches and pains. Puppies and young dogs will not have as much trouble getting into and out of a bed though if the sidewalls are too high your puppy may have difficulties.

You also need to think about which room the dog bed will go in and how much space you want it to take up. There are dog beds that are designed to be compact and others that are very spacious. Some of the most expensive designer dog beds are even made to look like a regular bed. It is important to get a dog bed that fits the space your have chosen.

Besides coming in all different sizes comfortable dog beds also come in a wide variety of prices. Make sure you stick within your budget. Your dog will not care about the price as long as they are comfortable in their bed. You want your dog to be comfortable and it is possible to find a good dog bed at your desired price point.

If you have a very active dog that likes to run around outside for most of the day then purchasing a bed with a removable cover is a good idea. Your dog will probably get dirty frequently and in turn get his or her bed dirty. A removable cover makes it easy to wash the bed.

A few benefits to purchasing a comfortable dog bed include providing insulation for your dog during the summer and winter months, controlling the spread of dirt, hair and dander, cushioning their joints and bone and providing a private space where your dog can feel safe and secure.

A very popular type of dog bed that works for all types of dogs is the dog nest. This bed is very similar to a beanbag chair and will conform to the dogs shape. There are even rectangular dog nests for those dogs that like to spread out when sleeping.

Nowadays, any good dog owner is on the lookout for fashionable and stylish dog coats for their pet. There are numerous styles and levels of functionality. More-and-more, pets are becoming like a human member of the family, and it makes sense to begin looking after their needs in a way that befits their up-and-coming stature.

In couples who have no children or people whose children have left the nest, dogs are quickly moving in to take their place. They’ve become a beloved surrogate in many cases, and there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with that, generally speaking.

Dog coats come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, styles and fashions. There are specially-built kinds, for when a dog might need actual protection from the elements, like in a hairless breed. Also, there are cases where a dog might have a skin problem and needs the additional protection a coat like this can give. For the most part, though, many of these coats are typically just for amusement and as a fashion statement for the dog and the owner.

Dog coats can fall into various categories. There are pullover type sweaters and half-pullover types. These are generally of cotton, wool or some mixture of both fabrics. They’re designed to go on relatively easily and with little fuss on the part of the dog or its owner.

Be careful when the coat has snaps or zippers. A dog’s soft underbelly is a sensitive area, and skin caught in a zipper can cause the dog to maybe lash out with a nip or small bit if they’re handled roughly or in a cavalier manner.

Dog raincoats are a big fashion statement these days. After all, who wants to have to bring back a wet, shaggy dog from its constitutional or walk? Usually, it ends up shaking violently all over the place and now you’ve got to wipe up the offending mess. Full-bodied raincoats also protect the underside, and you can accessories them with actual little rain booties and a Gloucester fisherman’s cap. It’ll be up to you and your dog to decide how far to go with this.

There are dog coats for special occasions. Some are made to resemble tuxedos, for that special high-class event or dinner. Others might look like versions of a human’s suit or even a dinner dress, in the case of a female pooch. And accessories for the dog coat are plentiful and creative. There are little hats, booties and even capes or walking sticks. Where the sticks are carried is a question for some other time.

Dogs are really an integral part of the modern family unit. They’re many times more loyal to their owners than their own children ever were. That’s a pretty humorous situation, when you think of it. And the dog coat industry is a big money entity nowadays. Just about every culture in the world has some sort of relationship with the dog, to be realistic. And many folks see no problem with dressing their dogs up once in a while.