Tuesday, 24 June 2008

Is There Such A Thing As A Bad Dog?

Is There Such A Thing As A Bad Dog?

When the owner terms the dog as bad, perhaps they should look at their own behavior. When you are walking down the road, it is extremely annoying to find a dog jumping at you only to spoil your clean clothes. When your front yard is the chosen venue for the next door dog to leave his many calling cards, this is also frustrating. Are these bad dogs? No, they are not any worse than the neighbor's out of control kids. What is wrong with the kids or the pet when the concerned adults are not doing their duties?


There should be limits set for dogs to follow when inside, outside or in public places. Inexperienced owners would be smart to find a dog trainer who can teach them how to properly handle the animal without breaking its spirit. Your vet office or local pet stores can put you in touch with trainers who hold group discussions with the owners along with their pet; or enroll in an online course to tackle any problems instantly.


This training program includes lessons where owners are taught how to control their pets. There is a saying amongst trainers however that it is far easier to train dogs than the people that own them! You want to leash train your dog before you take him out in a park or public but before you do this you must get them accustomed to it first. Barking is a behavior which is extremely annoying to both owners and neighbors. When they bark, they are simply communicating with us; a reprimand him might give them the wrong signal and confuse them.


When a dog needs attention, something to eat or drink, it will resort to barking. Remember burglars get scared when a dog barks; remember this the next time you punish him for barking because it may not be a wise decision. Be careful not to laugh and playfully encourage a puppy to bark and then get angry at him months later when he barks louder as an adult.


Any trainer can teach you skills on how to get the desired conduct from your puppy using the carrot as opposed to the stick You ought to reward your pet for good behavior then they will now exactly what they should not do in the future. Remember that you can not coach a dog to adapt to certain behaviors which are not part of his genetic make-up. The best option for getting certain specific behavior is to acquire your pet from a breed which displays those traits. Good dog behavior can be the result of patience, determination and the love you give to the animal.


Is There Such A Thing As A Bad Dog?

Sunday, 22 June 2008

Dog Health Care Tips

Dog health care

Dog health care is such a vast domain that you would need really specific problems to focus on in order to cover the issues you’re interested in. Among the main dog health care problems we may say that the most frequent ones are fleas, worms and poisons. If these are not professionally taken care of, other very serious troubles may be expected. Worms and external parasites waste the dog’s body of nutrients and energy; plus dog health care providers insist that neglected dogs are full of toxins because of the parasite overgrowth.

Here are some dog health care tips to be used when dealing with worms, fleas or various poisons the dog comes into contact. Puppies need de-worming as early as two or three weeks with the procedure repeated at four or six weeks of age. Dog health care specialists claim that worm immunity in puppies doesn’t appear sooner than six months of age, and the worm larvae pass from mother to puppies. In order to meet the dog health care requirements you need to remove all stools from your garden, keep the lawn cut short and make sure you feed your dog on thoroughly cooked meat.

Fleas are the next dog health care problem under discussion here, and to a certain extent they are responsible for the possible tapeworms they may carry. Fleas and lice are easy to deal with; thanks to the many shampoos, collars or special drops, this dog health care issue has become piece of cake. Do not use human shampoo to wash your dog as it will completely degrease the fur and afterwards the dog’s skin would have to secret even more oil to compensate for the deficit. Anti-flea sprays, powders, collars or any other products can be purchased from any dog health care store. However, it’s good to ask the vet in the first place too.

Make sure that you keep your dog away from any potentially harmful substances that may lead to poisoning. Dog health care specialists point out that rapid intervention in the poisoning cases is crucial for saving the animal’s life. If you think your dog may have ingested some toxic chemical, try to give it some fresh milk as a first aid measure and call your vet immediately. For more dog health care tips you can visit www.dog-training-expert.com, a professional and resourceful site for dog owners and breeders.

dog health care

Tuesday, 10 June 2008

Dog Training Classes on Video

Dog training videos

Dog training is the oldest and probably the most common solution to bridge the understanding gap between people and dogs as their best friends. There are plenty of solutions to help dog owners train their animals, and one of the most popular is the dog training video. Sold online or in special pet stores, dog training videos provide comprehensive techniques and tricks that can turn the most disobedient of animals into an obedience example. People often prefer dog training videos to individual trainers for a variety of reasons.

First of all, there is the money issue; dog training videos are a lot cheaper than special training classes. Furthermore, many dog owners want to be actively involved in the training process; thus, with the help of a dog training video they can exploit the two sides of the experience: the fun part and the practical one. When you’ve got a puppy, it is all the more rewarding for you to be the one to train it how to target focus or fetch and retrieve. Dog training videos come with very professional solutions that can be put to practice by people who don’t have a clue on the subject.

The lessons presented by dog training videos are gradual and take you step by step to achieve the behavior patterns you want for your pet. It is a good idea that you watch every training stage on the dog training video, several times. Then you have to put into practice with your dog. Of course results appear in time, but make sure you are persistent in exercises; skills must be used, otherwise they’re wasted. Some other member of the family may get involved too, watch the dog training video together and exchange opinions. However, only one trainer should work with the dog at a time, in order not to create confusion.

Keep in mind that all the tips presented on a dog training video need to be integrated in the special context of your house. Avoid giving your pet conflicting orders and don’t use too complex linguistic structure. As you’ll learn from any dog training video, short words like ‘sit’ or ‘down’ are most effective, not to mention that the dog is receptive first and foremost to the voice pitch. Therefore, you don’t need a dog training video to tell you that animals are susceptible to raised voice for instance and they become defensive. Good luck!

Dog training videos

Wednesday, 4 June 2008

How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes in Raising Dogs

How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes in Raising Dogs

Dogs do not come with an instruction manual around their necks. Dogs need time, patience, and understanding. Therefore new owners need information to train, and help cope with the difficulties of the newest member of the family.

Common mistakes in raising dogs:

1. Not enrolling with the dog in "obedience school".

In any good school you can expect your dog to learn basic commands and proper behavior. "Heel!", "Sit!", "Stay", and "Come!" are all examples of these commands. The dog will learn how to associate with other animals and people. Don't make the mistake of sending your dog to obedience school alone. If you do, you will have a dog more obedient to the teacher, instead of you.

2. Self-training using improper techniques.

Physical punishment and yelling are not good methods of training. The best methods are stimulation and reward for good behavior. This way the dog will be motivated to carry out commands because it knows it will receive attention and maybe a yummy treat. For this to work, it is important to be patient and consistent.

3. Not researching breed characteristics.

When choosing a dog, do not judge by appearance alone. Take some time to do research on several breeds, to find one that will make a good match for you and your family. If you have a small apartment, for example, a large dog may be a poor choice.

4. Leaving your dog alone in your yard.

Dogs are social animals and naturally live in packs. Spend plenty of time with your dog outside. Play together, make your yard a fun place, not a doggie prison! If your dog is not active enough, is bored, gains weight, gets sick, gets into all kinds of mischief, barks too much, or bites: It is your job to understand why it is happening and make it better.

5. Not giving the a dog a place of its own.

Dogs need an area that is only for them. When it gets nervous or scared it will have a place of refuge. Make it a comfortable place for your dog. It doesn't have to be fancy, just comfortable. Just like people, every living creature has times when it just wants to be left alone to sleep or relax

6. Letting the dog think it is in charge.

The leader in your house is you, not the dog! Your dog will receive food and attention when you decide. Not whenever it wants. Your dog must earn its rewards, they are not a gift.

7. Making 'goodbye' a big event.

Do not make a big deal out of having to leave the house. This is not the time to lavish extra attention on your dog. It will only be aggravated after you leave. A good idea is to leave your dog with fresh food and water, and maybe a toy.

8. Feeding your dog 'people' food.

Constantly feeding a dog table scraps can be very unhealthy for dogs. They are not recycle bins! There are many very good dog foods available - buy those for your pet. People do not eat dog food, why should it be the other way around?

9. Having unrealistic expectations.

Though at times it may seem like it, dogs are not human. Dogs need logical and consistent training to live well with people. They do not understand when you explain to them 'why'. When your dog misbehaves a simple "Don't!" or "No!" is enough and suitable.

Avoiding these mistakes will assure you and your dog live a long and happy life together.

Dencho Denchev is a dog lover from Bulgaria. He offers the highest quality pet care products available. Rest easy knowing your special friend will be taken care of. (Don't forget yourself too!)When you visit http://www.ddenchev.com/pets/dogs.htm

How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes in Raising Dogs