Doggy Mentor

Posts Tagged ‘Innotek ADV 300’

Whether you are a first time dog owner, a seasoned dog owner or even a trainer, a brand new puppy in the home means you now have the responsibility of providing training.  This can feel like it’s an overwhelming responsibility for you – but you’ll soon discover why dogs have earned the title of man’s best friend. 

Properly training your dog takes patience but, it also takes praise!  When your dog does something that isn’t acceptable, then you must be patient and when he displays acceptable behavior, you should be liberal with your praise.  Remember, you took on the responsibility of training your dog from the minute you selected him and decided to bring him home!   

Alpha

Dogs are by nature pack animals.  The “Alpha dog” is the leader of the pack.  In order to get your dog to obey your commands, you must convince him that you are the alpha dog.  You may think that you’re being cruel, mean, or harsh, but your dog doesn’t think so.  He wants to follow a strong leader.  He needs guidance to be able to understand what behaviors are acceptable, and what are not.  Humans naturally lead by instinct, which is why dogs and humans have been able to coexist for thousands of years.  If you have more than one dog, they will establish their own heirarchy amongst them.  The important thing is that they know that you and your human family members come first.

You need to let your dog know immediately through firm words, leases and discipline peppered with praise that you are the one who is in control.  Stern looks, stern voices and a loud clap when needed coupled with appropriate rewards will help establish your place as the leader.  This is critical and should happen within a day or two of your four legged friend arriving in your home.  Leaving this important step for later is not a good idea.

Crate Training

Dogs have a natural den instict that tells them not to soil their sleeping place.  Therefore, crate training your puppy is the fastest way to house train him.  We humans think of animals locked in cages as being cruel punishment, but it’s actually quite humane.  Dogs feel safe and secure in their “den”.  If you allow your puppy to roam free in your house, you’re not communicating to him where he should relieve himself, and then he’ll wind up having lots of accidents.  Make regular, scheduled visits to his potty spot outside.  Exercise him also, preferably with other dogs so that he releases his pent-up energy and learns the social graces of dogs.  But when he’s not in his crate, feel free to snuggle and play with him all you want!

Obedience Training

You might think that all you need to do to take your dog for a walk is to put a leash on him and head outside.  You couldn’t be more mistaken!  Your dog needs to learn to walk on a leash just as he needs to be taught to sit on command and other commands.  For those who have hunting dogs, you’ll be training your dog to behave off a leash as well as on one.  This training is usually accomplished by teaching techniques such as coming and heeling.  Another important aspect of obedience training is teaching your dog to not jump up – on people, and on furniture.  This all falls under obedience training and like all other training begins the day you bring your dog home.

Training for Hunting

Believe it or not, training your dog to be a hunter begins when he’s only four months old.  It’s important to get him acclamated to the sound of a gun early.  After that, there will be exercises for pointing, retrieving, flushing, and all the other important skills a good hunter needs.  Dogs specifically bred for hunting already know what to do, it’s usually just a matter of guiding them in the right direction. 

Whatever commands you decide to teach your dog are up to you.  But remember that as long as you do it with patience, praise, and positive reinforcement, he will learn.  He has a  natural desire to please you because you’ve established yourself as the alpha dog. 

There are many types of dog training supplies out there on the market. If you are looking for a dog training collar the Innotek ADV300P is a great choice, and if you are in need of a dog tracking collar, Tracker Maxima is a great choice.

After a long winter’s rest and the sedentary comfort of the indoor life, you, your family, and especially your dog will be feeling the fever – spring fever, that is!  It’s time to go outdoors and enjoy the sun again.  Take advantage of the unpredictable weather and the on-again, off-again activity level of the springtime in order to ease into summertime’s high-gear.  Walking, running, swimming, biking, and hiking are all fantastic activities to share with your dog.  However, veterinarians strongly suggest exercising your dog moderately at first, gradually working up to longer periods of activity.  If you don’t, you could risk your dog’s health.  Heat exhaustion is very common for dogs in the summertime.

Start Slow and Work Up

{Every athlete knows they won’t win any medals on their first day of training.  The same is true for us and for our dogs.  Start out with shorter walks and gradually increase the length and intensity of your workouts.  Watch your dog carefully for signs that he’s reached his limit.  Watch yourself too – you may reach your limit before he does!  As long as your dog is healthy, it won’t take him long to get back into shape and be able to maintain an active schedule.If you were going to run a marathon, you would not go from your sofa to a twenty mile run would you?  Certainly not – you would work up slowly.  Things are no different when dealing with your dog.  Start out slow, and every day adds time onto your daily trek with your furry friend.  Regardless of whether your dog is your special family friend or a hunter, be sure that the exercise that they are getting is in line with their overall health.  Watch to make sure that your dog is content, and not overly exercised and gradually increase the activity level.  For most dogs, going from low activity to high activity is not a long drawn out process. The more energy they expend, the higher their energy level will be.}

Timing

Always be cognizant of the hottest times of the day.  Take advantage of the early morning and late evenings when the heat is not intense.  Remember that concrete and asphalt get extremely hot and can easily burn your dog’s sensitive paw pads.  Planning on when the best times to exercise are will keep you and your pet cooler during your workouts.

Grooming

Most of us like to have our haircut shorter for summer wear. Think about your longhaired dog (or those who have dual coats).  Keeping their hair trimmed and brushed in the warmer weather becomes even more important.  One word of caution: if you are having a groomer cut your dogs hair, make sure they do not cut it too short – just like you, your dog can suffer from sunburn.  This is especially important if your dog has light colored fur, as they tend to be more sensitive to the sun.   

Cooling Off

We often wonder how our dogs perspire in the summer – especially in the heat of the day.  Canines unlike people do not perspire through sweating, but instead through panting – perspiring through the mouth.  Dogs’ bodies cool down from moving air and from shaded areas (or a dip in the water).  They do not however cool down as quickly as we do.  Keep your dog in an area where he will have access to shaded and if possible, moving air. This will help him stay cool and comfortable in the hot sun. 

Watch For Heat-Related Problems

Owners need to know the signs of heat stroke in dogs: 

                Labored or deep and uncontrolled breathing or excessive panting with broken rhythm

                Tacky and bright red gums

                Fatigue, unwillingness to move, or collapse

If you notice any of these symptoms, you should immediately care for your dog.  It is never recommended that you use cold or ice water for cooling your dog down. Instead, use tepid water to wet your dog.  Then place wet towels over your dog to keep the water on their bodies.  If you move the towels, this will help airflow as well.  Keep in mind, a dog who is suffering from heat related problems should not be allowed to go into a pool or other body of water that might require swimming. Their lack of energy could result in drowning. 

Find emergency care for your dog quickly, or contact your vet for advice.  Even if he appears to be recovered, he may not be.  Only an expert examination by a veterinarian can tell you for sure if he’s really better.

Keeping your dog safe in warm weather means using a practical approach to exercise and care. Keeping your dog healthy in warm weather means that they will have a happy summer time with you and your family.

 Having a dog is like having a child, they become part of you and your family, with the being said you have to make sure you have the proper training gear as well.  There are lots of great brands out there. Some of the most popular supplies include: Tracker Maxima and Innotek ADV300P Do you research and choose which one is right for you and your dog.

Many people believe that hunting dogs should never be contained indoors or allowed to be around children.  They think that because the dog has “tasted blood” on the hunt, it cannot be trusted not to hurt children.  This line of thinking is simply not true.  Hunting dogs make wonderful family pets because of their natural tendency to want praise and acceptance from their masters.  They are also quite intelligent and follow commands easily.  Most hunting dogs, especially retrievers, have “soft mouths”, which means that they don’t bite down hard.  This is definitely an advantage for young children who love to play with dogs.

One of the most popular dogs anywhere in the USA is the Golden Retriever.  These dogs love the water, they are docile dogs and they are great hunters, though seldom trained for hunting.  These dogs are perfect dogs for children since they have energy to spare and they love to play. 

Training your hunting dog to take to children is pretty simple. It’s important to remember that a hunting dog sees you (as the adult and trainer) as the top dog and therefore considers children who they are living with as part of the ‘litter’.  As your children grow up, the hunting dog will follow your example. He will watch and see how you treat him as well as his ‘litter-mates’ and he’ll determine what the ‘pecking order’ is in the home.

Very young children don’t always understand how rough or gentle they are when they play.  Make sure that you show your children how dogs, especially puppies, are to be played with.  If your child likes to wrestle and roughhouse, make sure it doesn’t go too far.  You don’t want your child or your puppy to be injured. 

Set rules and boundaries for both your children and your dog and make sure they follow them consistently.  Children don’t always remember that a dog does not act or think like they do.  Your dog is certainly a member of the family, but a canine member, not a human.  Have rules such as: never feed the dog from the table or let him beg; the dog sleeps in his crate, not in anyone’s beds; or,  the dog is not allowed in certain areas of the house.  This may not seem fair to your children, but it will help them understand the boundaries set for them and for your dog.

There is no price that can be set on owning a dog.  Their unconditional love will be remembered forever in your children’s hearts.  Every dog is unique.  Think about your first dog – can you remember the special tricks he did, what treats he loved to eat, the little quirks of his personality?  Who would not want that for their own children?  Dogs help us remember that the little things in life are what’s most important, and they give us an appreciation for nature.  In this respect, hunting dogs are no different than other breeds. 

To help you train your hunting dog you should make sure you have the proper supplies. Some of the more popular supplies include: Tracker Maxima Tracking Collars and  Innotek ADV 300 Dog Training Collars.